Today, November 13th is World Kindness Day. As the name suggests, it is an international celebration, established in 1998, the purpose of which is to spread kindness. It is celebrated in a wide variety of nations, including the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, and the UAE.
To celebrate World Kindness Day is to pause and think about one of the most fundamental human values, the good that comes from big or small acts of kindness. As such, today let’s discover together the history of this day and what we can do to spread more kindness around the world.
History of World Kindness Day
The World Kindness Movement is credited with creating World Kindness Day and inviting us to celebrate it on November 13th. Although this group was not established as a legal Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Switzerland until 2019, its roots may be traced 22 years back to a conference held in Tokyo in 1997.
Organizations from all around the world, including Australia, Thailand, and the United Kingdom, came together for this conference to share ideas and strategies for spreading kindness. As a direct result of this happening, the first iteration of the Society Kindness Movement would come into being with a founding document proclaiming their:
“Pledge to join together to build a kinder and more compassionate world.”
To that end, they planned to help organize the first World Kindness Day in 1998.
“To promote good activities in the community emphasizing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which links us,”
As stated by the World Kindness Movement, is the stated goal of World Kindness Day. The day, which has been celebrated for over two decades, has gained worldwide attention and has been celebrated by people on every continent. The distribution of “kindness cards” and concert performances are two examples.
While the World Kindness Movement is happy with the day’s unofficial status for the time being, they continue to work toward gaining official recognition from the United Nations. If the group’s efforts are successful, World Kindness Day will join other globally recognized days of observance including Human Rights Day (Saturday, 10), International Day of Peace (September, 21), and World Health Day (April, 7).
Customs for Observance of International Day of Kindness
The purpose of this day is to show compassion to others in simple ways. It is a day when people are encouraged to be kind and for good deeds to triumph over evil. The goal of life should be to be kind to others, and we all have it in us. This might mean anything from helping someone out with a chore to taking the time to see how they are doing to offering sincere praise.
The Purpose of World Kindness Day
According to the World Kindness Movement, the goal of World Kindness Day is to:
“promote good activities in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness, which links us.”
Activities on International Day of Happiness
Do three acts of kindness completely out of the blue on World Kindness Day.
Be complimentary
Greeting strangers with a grin is always appreciated. Maintain a door’s open position. In the event that the train is overcrowded and you are seated, please give up your place. Put your good intentions to the test by performing three acts of kindness completely at random and watch the miracles unfold!
Be generous with your hugs
Connection and kindness are inseparable. I encourage you to spend some quality time with your loved ones today by giving them extra hugs. They’ll be curious about your motivations, but they’ll love it anyhow!
Express your feelings by penning a poem and reading it aloud to yourself
Today is a good day to be gentle with yourself. Poetically express your gratitude for the many blessings in your life by writing a brief or lengthy poem.
The Reasons Why We Appreciate World Kindness Day
Helping other people is a lot of fun
Often, people are too preoccupied with themselves to stop and consider the needs of those around them. It’s ironic that helping others can benefit you just as much as they do.
It provides an opportunity to be particularly thoughtful
Aside from Thanksgiving (November, 24), other holidays inspire people to give their full thanks. World Kindness Day allows for the chance to think of extra-special or unique ways to perform acts of kindness.
Having a good heart is crucial
I think it’s important to recognize the value of kindness and the advantages it provides. It serves as a gentle reminder that we are not alone, nor do we reside in a world devoid of goodness.
