World Kindness Day
All around the world, it may seem like we are drifting further from one another. This is a reminder to always be kind-- but if you need a day to remind you of that, then there is a day for you.
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World Kindness day
World Kindness day
By Deenie Bulyalert
By Deenie Bulyalert
History of World Kindness Day
History of World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day is an international holiday celebrated by so many around the world. It was established in 1997 by an organization called the World Kindness Movement or WKM. On September 20th of 1997, a conference was held in Tokyo, Japan. WKM brought like minded-individuals together to promote kindness in their countries. 27 nations came together with representatives to take part in the World Kindness Movement. The nations are as follows: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Romania, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, the USA, and Zimbabwe. They signed a Declaration of Support for a Kinder World and this led to World Kindness Day. Although they did not get officially recognized until 2019, their efforts throughout the world do not go unnoticed, especially with events that revolve around World Kindness Day.
Photos taken by J Snell during Origami Club. They are making cranes for World Kindness Day to be handed out to students.
This holiday was developed to promote kindness throughout the world and, although we should all focus on kindness every single day, World Kindness Day emphasizes how being kind is one of the most valuable traits in life. As noted by the United Nations, WKM celebrates World Kindness Day through the Sustainable Development Agenda. Their goal regarding this agenda is a call to action to end poverty. It consists of 17 goals that were all adopted in 2015 by the UN as a 15 year plan--some being to strive for gender equality, a goal to end hunger, providing individuals with medical care, and so many more amazing ways to get involved. Even though the Sustainable Development Agenda does extend past World Kindness Day, it does engulf the primary idea that World Kindness Day provides by bringing in goals in which individuals can participate. Some people celebrate World Kindness day by doing small acts of kindness like writing a letter to someone they care about, rescuing an animal, and making gifts for friends.
wHAT CAN YOU DO?
wHAT CAN YOU DO?
Acts of kindness can be big or small. There is this misconception in the world that being kind has to be comprised of big gestures like going to another country and building a school or fighting for the rights of individuals and, although those things are extremely important, small acts will never go unnoticed. Smiling at someone who walks by or tipping a waitress a little extra when ordering out may not make all the evil in the world go away, but it may make the evil for that one individual disappear for the day. Understand that anyone is capable of incredible acts.
Tip a waiter extra when going out to eat
Give flowers to a random person
Compliment someone (Ex. You bring brightness into my life.)
Tell someone you love them
Bring treats to some of your friends
Pay for the person behind you at a fast food place
Acts of kindness are hard to come by within our world today, but they do so much good. If capable, do what you can for other individuals. There will always be a beauty to being kind to others during a place and time that doesn’t want that from us.
Special Recognition - Origami Club
Special Recognition - Origami Club
Sometimes our community feels a little bit out of place from each other. This year for World Kindness Day the origami club has taken up another amazing project in order to celebrate this day in our community. They will be handing out paper cranes to the student body, during the week of World Kindness Day, in order to share a little bit of kindness at our school. Please be gentle on yourself throughout this year when you can.
Photos taken by J Snell
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