Did you know that today, July 30th, is International Friendship Day? It is celebrated in several countries and was first promoted by the greeting cards’ industry.
Today, those greetings come in all forms – an email, chat or text and video calls, to name just a few.
There was a time in our lives when it was rare to make friends with someone from another country. Our means for even meeting were somewhat limited to relatives who lived across the pond, study abroad programs, family or school trips, pen pal opportunities or random chance.
Fast forward to 2021, and the world is literally at our fingertips. Social networking has opened so many doors that allow us to meet people from all over the globe and despite the devastation of COVID-19, one positive aspect has been an increase in the time and interest to take advantage of these opportunities.
From shared interest groups to free online gatherings, we can connect virtually with almost anyone, anywhere. We can cross the ocean and travel the world without ever leaving our homes – and learn so much in the process.
How interesting it is to connect with people from other places. When we open our minds and hearts, we lower our risk for being ethnocentric. Making the time to learn about different cultures, races, ethnicities and religions is an education that may inevitably lead to a greater understanding through gained knowledge.
Learn more about International Friendship Day and maybe you’ll consider making new acquaintances who could become friends from around the world.
