International Day of Friendship was designated by the United Nations General Assembly (UN). On July 30, we step back and get thankful for those relationships worldwide, as they promote and encourage peace, happiness, and unity.
Friendship and connecting is synonymous with bonding, and building those common bonds goes beyond sharing a trait, characteristic, or favorite past time with another person or group, but also includes promoting a global commitment and understanding of diversity and inclusion. Even in our differences we can find common ground.
- Zoom parties bring friends together from across the world. Host a dinner party zoom call with friends. Share recipes ahead of time and everyone can cook the same dish and discuss how it turned out. Ditch your sweats for the call and create prompt questions to keep the conversation saying. “What’s your favorite book and why?” “What’s keeping you up at night?” When travel restrictions are canceled where would you travel and with whom?
- While most parents are concerned with screen time, tablet and phone devices allow kids to stay connected with their friends, a vital component of their mental health and development. Consider finding a game your child can play virtually such as Uno to keep them engaged, particularly if they are younger.
- When was the last time you wrote someone a letter? Not an email, but a good old-fashioned letter with a stamp and everything! Bring back snail mail with a new stationary set that evokes cheer!
- If you miss hanging out with your friends and watching Netflix, you can do it remotely with Netflix Party. This free app allows you to watch Netflix with friends online, synchronizing your video playback and allowing you to group chat at the same time. It only works on desktop or laptop computers, but you can watch any show on Netflix.
