Start a new friendship on International Friendship Day July 30th

Soroptimism is all about international friendship. Clubs around the world are affiliated by region, by country  and by locality. In our Centennial Year the biennial ‘Friendship Exchange’ weekends have been hindered by travel restrictions. But this does not stop international Zoom exchanges, sharing of information, club successes, and personal friendships continuing. Those friendships arise because of a common interest, a shared purpose and a desire for real international understanding.  If you are new to an area and looking for a new interest or you’d like to join a local club for social contact get in touch with a club nearby and as we resume face to face meetings in September, do come along without obligation to a few meetings to see first hand what we do! We have our own Gin.. and a Residential Club in London, if you’re a woman and new to the country do get in touch. You can find our UK/Ireland Clubs here https://sigbi.org/club-finder/

https://www.un.org/en/observances/friendship-day

Sharing the human spirit through friendship

Our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division — such as poverty, violence, and human rights abuses — among many others — that undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world’s peoples.

To confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms — the simplest of which is friendship. Through friendship — by accumulating bonds of camaraderie and developing strong ties of trust — we can contribute to the fundamental shifts that are urgently needed to achieve lasting stability, weave a safety net that will protect us all, and generate passion for a better world where all are united for the greater good.

Background

The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.

To mark the International Day of Friendship the UN encourages governments, international organizations and civil society groups to hold events, activities and initiatives that contribute to the efforts of the international community towards promoting a dialogue among civilizations, solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation. The International Day of Friendship is an initiative that follows on the proposal made by UNESCO defining the Culture of Peace as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems. It was then adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1997.

Actions to Promote a Culture of Peace