By: Victor Arreola
Do you know when the International Day of Friendship is?
International Day of Friendship is observed on July 30 each year, as proclaimed by the United Nations in 2011.
Some countries (like India, Malaysia, and parts of South America) also celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August, based on earlier traditions.
Do you have a best friend?
Who doesn’t have a best friend? Friendship is a universal connection and has an important role in our own survival as a species. Thanks to that, we were able to create cultures that transcended time. This is because friendship is a relationship built on trust, mutual respect, and shared experiences with another human being, often marked by joy, support, good moments, of course laughter and, why not? a couple of misadventures.
In ancient Greece, around the 4th century BCE, philosophers like Aristotle celebrated friendship as an essential virtue for a good life, pointing out that a true virtuous friendship must be based on mutual respect and protection.
Later, in ancient Rome, friends exchanged tokens called “tesserae hospitales” , small pieces of bronze or silver with shapes of animals or family shields symbolizing mutual hospitality between two people or clans, often passed down through generations.
In some Native American tribes, like the Lakota, they have some ceremonies to create lifelong bonds between unrelated individuals of their tribes, treating them as equals with shared responsibilities, developing a stronger connection for the rough weather and unpredictable seasons.
In Mexico, friendship and camaraderie are deeply valued in our culture, and good friends often become like siblings, to commemorate that, on July 30th we celebrate the International Friendship Day, designated by the United Nations (UN), this day provides an opportunity to honor these human bonds, reflecting on the ways friends and their company enrich our spirits throughout our lives shaping a big part of who we are.
Across cultures, friendship has inspired unique customs, for my students, this occasion has inspired a collection of short texts, each one a unique reflection on their best friends and the funny moments they have shared together:
Antonio
“My friend is thin and likes anime. He also likes to travel and loves to climb mountains. He is very noble and knows how to listen to people. My friend likes parties and pink is his favorite color, his birthday party had that concept: everything had to be pink!
One day, we went on a hiking trip. We stayed in a hotel in the middle of the mountains. The main attraction was a large waterfall in the mountain. We hiked down the river then between the mountains again and after walking several kilometers we finally arrived at a bridge. The guards at that place told us we couldn’t pass because it was about to rain heavily and that could make the bridge dangerous to cross, so we had to go back and we couldn’t see that waterfall.”
Rogelio
”My best friend is amazing. When we were kids we liked to play soccer every afternoon after school. He still lives in Tlaxcala and I live in Querétaro now, however I know I can trust my best friend. He is tall and cheerful. We talk often, and every time I visit my parents, I also visit my friend. He is the most loyal person I know.”
Rosy
“My friend Rafa is very tall and I met him at work. He is funny and makes me laugh a lot. A funny story we had together was at a wedding. We were very drunk at the end of the party, and we decided to steal the wedding cake with its base too. The next morning in our hotel room, we had the cake on the shelf.”
Luis Alberto
“My friend is very crazy about the Rubik cube, he likes puzzles. He is taller than me and he likes to play league of legends with me. He is good at programming sites on the internet, he knows a lot! My friend is always very fun, he always has something to say. He is the father of two children, he has one daughter and one son.
When we were in high school, we used to go play video games at a place that rented them. When we were in high school, he helped me pass an English exam. We cheated. Once we were in a tournament of league of legends unfortunately, we lost in the first game. We used to go to the corner of the avenue for breakfast, there is a very delicious food place there, but this was during school hours. When we can watch the League of Legends World championship together and we love to have barbecues.”