As homeschool parents, it’s important that we teach our children to feel confident when communicating with people they don’t know. However, this can be challenging since our world is becoming more focused on digital communication.

November 21, 2020, is the 48th annual World Hello Day, which serves to remind people of the importance of communication and world peace. This obscure but important holiday is the perfect opportunity to teach our children how a simple “hello” and smile can change the world.

Read on to learn more about the history behind World Hello Day and how your family can celebrate!

What Is World Hello Day?

World Hello Day was initially founded by two brothers – Brain McCormack, a graduate of Arizona State University, and Michael McCormack, a graduate of Harvard University – in response to the Yom Kippur War.

The Yom Kippur War was a violent conflict between Egypt and Israel in 1973. Although it only lasted a mere two weeks and five days, thousands of lives were taken, including many innocent civilians. 

The war began on October 25th when Egyptian and Syrian forces attacked Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. Egypt aimed to win back the territory they lost to Israel years prior in 1967. 

The aftermath left many people around the world heartbroken, including the McCormack brothers, who didn’t understand why countries resolved a conflict with force rather than peaceful communication. 

One good thing that did happen as a result of the war was the first peace discussion between Arab and Israeli officials in over 25 years. The discussion further demonstrated the importance of simple communication to settle conflicts. 

When all was said and done, the brothers came up with an initiative to promote world peace and personal communication between world leaders. Together, they mailed 1,360 letters in seven different languages to various leaders worldwide, asking them to participate in the first international hello day. 

In its first year, World Hello Day gained the support of 15 countries. Since then, this holiday has been observed by 180 countries with 31 Nobel Peace Prize winners like Mother Teresa, who stated that World Hello Day is a valuable instrument for preserving peace among leaders, political parties, religions, and other organizations.

How to Participate in World Hello Day 2020

Participating in World Hello Day with your children is simple. All you have to do is say “hello” to at least ten people. These people could be people you don’t know, like a cashier at the supermarket or a stranger you see on your morning walk.

You could even take this day to reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with. Regardless, this small gesture is meant to send a message of openness and peace toward others.

Why Is Saying Hello Important?

Have you ever experienced the power of someone saying hello to you? Perhaps you were alone in a room full of people with which you weren’t familiar. Didn’t that gesture help make you feel welcome?

If you said yes, this isn’t just in your head! Psychologists believe that a cheerful greeting can do wonders when it comes to making others feel included and appreciated. 

Unfortunately, saying hello to others isn’t as normal as it used to be. With people spending around three hours on their phones each day, we’ve become more removed from communicating with others on a personal level. 

As we’re writing this in 2020, we have come to see how much our world needs this holiday. With a tense U.S. election year and masks covering our faces for protection from the virus, saying hello to others isn’t exactly the first thing on our minds.

Many children are adjusting to this new way of living, and communicating with others is being forgotten. As parents, we can remind our children of the importance of reaching out to others through simple acts of kindness – starting with saying hello!

World Hello Day Greetings

Saying hello doesn’t have to be hard. Any simple greeting will do, as long as you say it in earnest! Here are a few examples: 

1. Hello
2. Hi
3. G’day
4. Howdy
5. Good morning
6. Good afternoon
7. Good evening 
8. How are you today?

You see, there are endless ways to greet people – including different languages. You can even find a “hello quote” online to share with your friends. At the end of the day, a simple act of kindness can go a long way and hopefully influence others to follow in your footsteps!

How Will You Celebrate?

We hope this post has encouraged you and your family to participate in this one-of-a-kind holiday! Please tell us your thoughts on this obscure holiday and whether you and your family plan on joining. If you do, tag us on Facebook or Instagram. We’d love to hear about your experience! 

Are you looking for more fun holidays to celebrate with your kids? Check out our blog on the history behind World Smile Day! If you’re in search of a thorough study on American holidays, take a look at our History of Holidays activity study!