July 30: International Day of Friendship
The International Day of Friendship is a day dedicated to promoting friendship and fostering peace among different communities and individuals worldwide. It was established in 2011 by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly with the conviction that friendship between countries and people can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. Governments and civil society groups commemorate this day in various ways including organizing public events, community service activities, educational initiatives, and friendship day campaigns to promote goodwill among individuals and groups.
Positive relationships make people feel connected, supported, happy, and satisfied with their lives. Convinced about this, the third call of the 22nd General Chapter of the Marist Brothers highlights the importance of building bridges and invites all Marists of Champagnat to engage in networking to create a global Marist family. In his encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti,’ Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of building bridges rather than walls. He calls for a culture of encounter and dialogue, encouraging people to come together, understand one another, and overcome both physical and metaphorical barriers. The Pope recognizes that building bridges requires a willingness to listen, understand and respect one another’s differences, and work towards common goals. He emphasizes that we are all called to be neighbours and promote solidarity and friendship. He exhorts everybody to emulate the Good Samaritan who demonstrates social friendship and reveals that the inter-human relationship takes precedence over differences of conviction, theology, and social class.
Philosophers including Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas wrote extensively about the nature of friendship and emphasized its importance for moral and personal growth believing that true friendship requires virtue, sincerity and selflessness, and that it is a source of happiness and fulfillment in life. In this direction, the Catholic Church believes that friendship is an important aspect of human life and encourages everyone to cultivate the virtue of affability to nurture healthy and meaningful friendships. She teaches that friendship should be based on love and service, virtuous living, shared spiritual life, consistency and loyalty, mutual emotional and spiritual upbuilding, and service to others. Hence, the Church encourages friends to be of service not only to one another but also to the broader community to reflect God’s love and compassion in their actions. Friendship is a gift from God that should be nurtured and valued. It is a means of growing closer to Him and others, fostering unity, and providing mutual support on the journey of faith.
Similarly, Saint Marcellin Champagnat believed that friendship played a crucial role in educating young people into well-rounded individuals, instilling in them moral values, and enabling them to develop into responsible members of society. For this reason, he urged Brothers to establish genuine and nurturing friendships with students as a means of building trust and creating a supportive environment for learning and growth. He equally encouraged them to cultivate compassionate relationships with their students, treating them with kindness, respect, and understanding. He believed that it is through personal connections that an educator could have a positive impact on the students. For Champagnat, friendship was not merely a casual acquaintance, but a deeper bond founded on love and commitment. Hence, he saw himself as a friend and mentor to the students he taught, showing them care and guidance throughout their educational journey.
Brother Francis Lukong – Secretariat of Solidarity