Rekindle a friendship this International Friendship Day
- Megan Turner
- Jul 28
- 8 min read
Inclusion and International Friendship Day
Being a friend offers emotional support, companionship, and a sense of belonging — elements for a healthy, fulfilling life.
The main aim of International Friendship Day is to celebrate alliances between pre-existing friendships or to support people to rekindle a friendship. However, International Friendship Day is more than just a day to post photos with friends or send heartfelt messages. It is a reminder that there are no holds barred when it comes to race, religion, nationality, and language. It is designed to promote conflict resolution among diverse groups, working towards a more harmonious world.
In a world that can feel rather divided, friendship can be a powerful peace promoter. No matter what background or social status, everybody deserves a friend.
Through personal and intercultural relationships, people can learn to appreciate differences, challenge stereotypes, and stand in solidarity during times of crisis.
It is time to nurture bonds, bring people together, learn how to be a good friend, and build some really special bridges.
When is International Friendship Day 2025?
In the UK, International Friendship Day is held annually on 30th July.
Is there more than one 'Friendship Day'?
There are actually multiple ‘friendship-type days’, all with different origins, dates, and meanings. Some have different name variations for the same day, which can get confusing.
Countries around the world celebrate the day in their own special ways, from exchanging bracelets in India to community gatherings in Paraguay (the birthplace of the World Friendship crusade). Latin America celebrates the day on 20th July, since it was the day man first walked on the moon. This symbolises the idea that friendship can reach even the most distant places.
There’s also a separate observance called National Make a Friend Day, celebrated on 11th February. This is more focused on encouraging people to reach out and form new friendships, over looking to rekindle a friendship, in the way that International Friendship Day does.
Can having no friends lead to depression?
Friendship also holds deep psychological and emotional value. Research shows that strong social connections are crucial for psychological well-being, increasing longevity, lowering blood pressure and stress levels, and reducing the risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
The damage from experiencing prolonged social isolation affects a substantial portion of the UK population — especially among those out of work, for example.
The Campaign to End Loneliness advises that 60% of people experiencing chronic loneliness report mental distress, compared to 15% among those who aren't chronically lonely.
Those without close friends are 2.5 times more likely to feel depressed, hopeless, or down often/all the time (31% vs. 13%), according to Relate.org.
44% of unemployed adults report a lack of close friendships.
Older adults with fewer social ties show more rapid cognitive decline and are at higher risk of dementia.
The table below identifies four main groups that may suffer more than the general population with mental health issues associated with a lack of friendships. All four groups are more socially isolated and more likely to have mental health problems.
Social Group | Likelihood of having no close friends | Likelihood of mental health issues | Estimated prevalence of mental health issues |
General population (not in these groups) | Baseline (approx. 5–10% report having no close friends) | Baseline | ~20–25% (any common mental disorder in a given year) |
Individuals/families in poverty or crisis | Higher (often 1.5–2× more likely than the general population) | Higher (approx. 1.5–2×) | ~30–40% |
People who are homeless or sleeping rough | Much higher (often 3–4× or more) | Much higher (approx. 3–4×) | ~70–80% |
Migrants | Higher (approx. 1.5–2×) | Higher (approx. 1.5–2×, varies by trauma history and support) | ~30–50% |
People in the Criminal Justice System (incl. recently released) | Much higher (often 3–4×) | Much higher (approx. 3–4×) | ~60–90% |
Sourced from UK: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) 2014, Mental Health Foundation (2022), Homeless Link (2014), Crisis and Shelter, WHO (2018), Mental Health Foundation (2016), UK Ministry of Justice and APMS in prisons (2017), OECD.
People not in these groups, of course, still experience a sense of loneliness and mental health issues, but at significantly lower rates.
What friendship does to the brain
Friendship isn’t just ‘nice to have’ — it literally shapes the brain and changes how it functions and protects itself.
Positive and active social lives triggers:
Oxytocin – builds trust, reduces stress
Endorphins – reduce pain, boost mood
Dopamine – creates feelings of pleasure and reward
Reduce cortisol (stress hormone)
Lower chronic inflammation (linked to heart disease, depression, dementia)
Larger or more active amygdala (processing social and emotional cues)
Larger ventromedial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex (understanding others’ mental states, empathy)
MRI studies (e.g. University of Oxford, Robin Dunbar’s group) show bigger, more complex friendship networks are linked to larger brain regions involved in social cognition.
Friendship literally reinforces reward pathways, making us feel happier, satisfied, and motivated after social interaction.
How do you rekindle a friendship? Five fantastic ways to support people to get in touch with old friends
There can be many reasons as to why friendship ends. Sometimes friendships can just grow apart, and sometimes, that’s okay — life happens. Keeping someone in your life takes effort, but if you feel it’s worth it, you can look to rekindle a friendship. And next time around, keep consistent. It’s easy to lose touch, but it’s also easy to get in touch.
1. Reviving past friendships
A great place to start with reviving old friendships is by inviting them to something like a music gig or hobby class you’ve come across. Or, if you’re less of a daredevil, even a simple cup of coffee out or a little walk could break the ice.
Sending a handwritten card can also be an old-school but sweet way of showing regard — this can prove especially useful in circumstances where the situation may need to be approached more carefully, such as where there was an awkward break-off.
Don't worry about the time gap - people are often flattered that they came into somebody's mind. You may have even crossed theirs recently, too.
Sometimes, it’s about building a new version of the friendship.
2. Sharing a token of appreciation
A small gift you might come across on an outing, such as a boot fair. That reminds you specifically of that person, can be a nice touch. A lovely story from Glamour Magazine reads: “Having picked up on my love for orange sweets, she'd spent a fortnight sourcing hundreds of orange Jelly Babies, Smarties, Haribos, Wine Gums and Fruit Pastilles, and presented them in a giant jar. No one had ever spent so long on the perfect present for me.”
Tuck their gift away as a surprise for when you next see them, or even for their next birthday (celebrating Milestones can be a great excuse to check in).
3. Help the community together
To help promote the spirit of friendship, consider supporting organisations that work to harmonise cross-cultural and social understanding and inclusion, or volunteering with a group for a cause you believe in. Acts of kindness done together can create some brilliant ‘feel-good’ energy and provide lifetime memories. This can even potentially create some spin-off friendships through people you meet while helping the cause. If you want to get away, there are also opportunities to join environmental causes like saving turtles.
4. Arrange a friends reunion
Quality time is the cornerstone of strong friendships. So, think about hosting a casual get-together with friends. It could be a dinner party, film marathon, picnic, group outing, or games night. The goal is to spend quality time, strengthen bonds, have open conversations and share the love. Interest-based clubs can help form friendships over mutual hobbies. There are clubs for music, pottery, creative writing, books, games, and exercise, of many, attracting people through shared interests. You can register for Parkrun or Ramblers for walks and runs by choosing your hometown. Getting out in nature is the added bonus. Facebook groups or Nextdoor often list free local interest-based gatherings.
5. The Online Significance
Friendship today isn’t limited by geography. Online friendships offer amazing opportunities to connect over shared interests, collaborate on creative projects, and exchange ideas that could have otherwise never come about. The internet has become a primary source of income, and even work-related partnerships can progress to some strong ties.
Communities like Discord, gaming platforms, and hobby-based Zoom groups often lead to real friendships — many even move offline. People from a lot of different countries join in the hope of socialising with others. International Friendship Day encourages us to reflect on how we engage in digital spaces and to strive for more respectful and inclusive online interactions.
Explore friend-making apps with free usage, such as Bumble for friends (BFF). Remember that people join to chat and to make friends, so why not be kind and invite them into your circle?
Give Some Social Media Shoutouts. Take a moment to share something about an old friend, such as a nice photo memory, their impressive milestone, or a funny story. Share tips, photos, and fun ideas using #InternationalFriendshipDay to inspire others with easily achievable things to do with friends. Share stories of your own, such as what your own periods of feeling lonely were like, or how you came to make the friends you have today. While you're on social media, look for open doors. Take a moment to keep an eye out for posts from people you're fond of but haven’t spoken to in a while. If someone’s asking for a hand or some company on their day off work, why not get involved?
A call for unity - uplift one another. Be everybody's friend. Grow a support network
So, this 30th July, take a moment to pause and reflect on the types of friendships that colour your world.
For many, the absence of social support can have serious consequences for mental health, leading to deep feelings of isolation and exclusion. That’s why the initiative Loneliness Awareness Week, which ties in nicely with International Friendship Day, is equally vital. Companions aren't just nice to have — they can be lifelines.
Both observances encourage us not only to appreciate the friends we have, but also to reach out to those who may feel alone this year. Extend empathy to others and build bridges across the differences in cultures, while reshaping communities. Whether through individual connections or international cooperation, the end goal is to inspire a more peaceful and connected world.
Too often, people experiencing hardships can face not only material deprivation but also social exclusion. The stigma of things like money shortages, disabilities, or general struggles with integrating into society can make it even harder to form friendships, participate in everyday activities, or feel a sense of belonging.
Clothing Collective is deeply committed to supporting those in vulnerable situations by helping them access something many of us take for granted: Clean, comfortable clothing.
A refreshed wardrobe may seem small, but for someone struggling, it can be life-changing.
Something as simple as a new outfit for the morning can be someone’s first step towards a renewed sense of confidence. When a person feels good in their appearance, they're more likely to want to engage with others. People with vulnerabilities can feel better about getting themselves back into society and stepping outside to greet the day - and, hopefully, someone of good company, too.
That’s why, with the generous help of our supporters, we’re working to raise funds to provide clothing gift cards to those who need them most. Thanks to our trusted partners, these gifts will go directly to individuals in need, helping them to get back out there and take a positive step towards some new and exciting plans!
To help support this, you can always donate unwanted clothes and other items via our reDonate partnership.
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