Friday, December 17, 2010
Dear Clubs,
We are excited to announce plans for celebrating World Friendship Day on March 1, 2011. This special day, recognized by the United States Senate, is a great opportunity for Friendship Force clubs everywhere to get the world’s attention with special events in the name of global friendship. It’s also a great time to reach out to your community, to the Press, to individuals and to other clubs, in the spirit of forming new connections.
Our theme for the 2011 celebration of World Friendship Day is “Make a Difference.” The Friendship Force has always believed that each and every person can make an important contribution to international goodwill. As members of the Friendship Force, we serve our global village, we serve the cause of friendship, and we serve our organization with our time and effort. We believe that through our example the cause of friendship and peace can be advanced. This World Friendship Day, we invite you to make a difference – to the world, to your community, to just a few people – because we believe we can change the world, one friendship at a time.
Below are some suggestions that you may find useful in creating your World Friendship Day activities. The opportunities are limitless. We look forward to hearing your club’s plans!
More information will follow. If you have questions, please contact Communications Coordinator Jillian Walters at (404) 965-4359 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
In friendship,
George Brown
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World Friendship Day 2011
Date: March 1, 2011
Theme: Make a Difference
Challenge: FFI encourages Friendship Force clubs around the world to celebrate World Friendship Day 2011 by putting the Friendship Force mission into action, participating in club activities or public events that will:
- promote global understanding across the barriers that separate people
- increase public awareness for the Friendship Force
- provide a platform for gaining new members
Your Friendship Force club can make a difference by promoting friendship and understanding in the world and in your community at home. Here are some examples:
Make a difference to a child or young person
- By reading or giving a presentation to children at the library, school, hospital or other children’s organization.
- By hosting a “home away from home” dinner for foreign exchange students.
- Volunteer at an international school or for an English language class.
Make a difference to a refugee
- Reach out to refugee organizations in your community.
- Volunteer at a refugee center or donate clothes, food or supplies.
Make a difference to a person of another faith
- Arrange for local religious leaders to give a public speech or round table discussion on religious tolerance and world peace.
- Invite members of a religious organization to discuss understanding across religions with your club members, either at a club meeting or special dinner.
Make a difference to your community
- Host a World Friendship Day dinner or party for a cultural organization in your community.
- Bring together diverse cultural organizations to put on a World Friendship Day event for the public.
- Participate in a community event such as a festival or parade by giving a performance or demonstration or carrying a banner.
- Put together a cultural display for your public library or local schools.
- Donate a floral display to a community building, such as a house of worship or government building, in honor of “our hope for a more peaceful world.”
Make a difference to your members and potential members
- Attend a cultural event or performance together, or try out a new cuisine.
- Reach out to a club you haven’t visited and agree to exchange letters and photographs, or even arrange for the two clubs to talk over Skype.
- Invite a teacher, student group or cultural organization to give your club a language lesson or cultural demonstration.
- Have a special meeting to make up a list of Friendship Resolutions – these will be your club’s goals for 2011.
- Get online! Update your website and create a Facebook page where your members can share comments and photos and invite others to join.
Make a difference to your global organization
- Offer to be a mentor club to a younger or smaller club – your field representative or program services coordinator at FFI can advise you.
- Make a donation to the Legacy Fund to support new club and program development.
- Invite other Friendship Force clubs in your area to join your World Friendship Day activities.
- Send World Friendship Day greeting cards to clubs who have hosted you.
Make a difference to your global community
- Donate supplies to a humanitarian organization.
- Raise awareness of a humanitarian cause.
- Team up on a project with other local organizations that share the Friendship Force mission.