International Friendship Day is celebrated globally on July 30th to promote peace, cultural understanding, and human connection. It was  officially proclaimed  by the UN General Assembly in 2011 with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.

In the words of the UN:

‘This year, as the world faces profound ruptures — between nations, within societies, even within families — the call to friendship is not sentimental. It’s essential. It’s about reaching across what breaks us and daring to believe in something better. It is a call to imagine a future where difference doesn’t mean distance, where trust is stronger than fear. Through friendship, we don’t just cope with the world as it is — we begin to shape the world as it could be.

Let us continue to pray and act for peace, building bridges between individuals and communities