A date in vogue since 1988, when an international day dedicated to kindness for oneself and for others was established in Japan. And today the World Day of Kindness rings almost like a bell… as if to remind us that at any moment we must always respect who is in front of you always practicing correct behavior.
World kindness day, when did it start?
On November 13, the World Day of Kindness is celebrated not only in Italy, but all over the world. This symbolic date was established in 1988 at the behest of the Japan Small Kindness Movement which with its idea put the concept of kindness at the center of the world for a day. An idea that had roots as early as 1986, the year of the foundation of the homonymous Kindness Movement, or the Movement for Kindness.
How is World Day of Kindness celebrated around the world?
There is currently no single way to celebrate this international day. Each can thus decide to dedicate their own manifestation of kindness to the other. Let's see some practical examples:
- leave space on public transport for the elderly and pregnant women;
- listen to whoever is talking to you, looking him in the eye and without distractions like a smartphone;
- try to have lunch or dinner with the family by talking and having an interest in our loved ones;
- practicing your family role with affection and education, as a brother, mother, father or sister ... always supporting your loved ones;
- never respond to violence with violence, even if only verbal;
- in times like today dictated by the rules for the prevention of Covid-19, wear a mask to respect others;
- but above all, always remember to say… thank you!
Why practice kindness
Today, with the times running fast, kindness seems to be something on the verge of extinction. Practicing kindness and preserving it means knowing how to be empathetic and emotional towards life, being polite and knowing how to respect the other. Very right principles that are still transmitted in the world as a message of universal life, as a behavioral posture that is the basis of civil life. So why practice kindness today? Quite simply because maybe to a kind gesture an equally sweet and meaningful gesture will correspond. If only for this… the world would be a better place!
Etymology of the word gentleness
Being kind today means many things. From being polite and civil to being able to simply say thank you, please or please. There are therefore numerous ways to practice kindness but where does this word so used today, so much so as to have an international day dedicated to it, come from? Kindness derives from the Latin gentilem, a term that indissolubly binds people of a "Gentile" nature to a patrician group, that is, well-to-do people of Roman society. The rich nature of the gens thus made their nature deliberately polite, helpful and of sound principles emerge. For this reason, over the centuries, the definition of kindness has been linked to a polite, honest and polite behavior towards oneself and others.
And how are you going to celebrate World Kindness Day?
