A friend in need is a friend indeed. It is an inspiring and encouraging virtue when the words turn into deeds though it is sometimes categorised among clichés when it is not practiced. American country singer and song writer Don Williams also gives millions of people inspiration with his best selling song which goes like this “You placed gold on my finger, you brought love like I’ve never known,you gave life to our children and to me a reason to go on, you’re my bread when I’m hungry, you’re my shelter from troubled winds, you’re my anchor in life’s ocean, but most of all you’re my best friend, when I need hope and inspiration you’re always strong when I’m tired and weak, I could search this whole world over you’d still be everything’ that I need.”

Such reflections come to mind when we mark the United Nations International Day of Friendship later this month. In a statement the UN says our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division — such as poverty, violence, and human rights abuses. These undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world’s peoples.

According to the UN to confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms — the simplest of which is friendship.Through friendship — by accumulating bonds of camaraderie and developing strong ties of trust — we can contribute to the fundamental shifts that are urgently needed to achieve lasting stability, weave a safety net that will protect us all, and generate passion for a better world where all are united for the greater good.   

The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.To mark the International Day of Friendship the UN encourages governments, international organizations and civil society groups to hold events, activities and initiatives that contribute to the efforts of the international community towards promoting a dialogue among civilizations, solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation.   

The International Day of Friendship is an initiative that follows on the proposal made by United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) defining the Culture of Peace as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems. It was then adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1997.   

Outlining its actions to promote a cultural peace the UN says we need to foster a culture of peace through education, promote sustainable economic and social development, promote respect for all human rights,ensure equality between women and men,foster democratic participation,advance understanding, tolerance and solidarity,support participatory communication and the free flow of information and knowledge and promote international peace and security.   

Spiritual leaders have told us that the opposite of friendship is bitterness and anger, jealousy and envy, taking revenge, indulging in gossip or slander that damage the character of others and related vices. The spiritual leaders tell us that when we indulge in such vices we not only hurt others but also damage ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually. That is why one spiritual leader has said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, help those who hurt you and pray for those who persecute you.   

As for Sri Lanka we see widespread protests over the rising cost of living in view of the fuel price increase, the shortage of fertiliser for farmers, the virtual loss of livelihood for thousands of fisherfolk, the debt crisis and other issues. Dissention is growing and we could only make a trumpet call in the words of American novelist and poet Josiah Gilbert Holland; “God, give us men and women a time like this demands, strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands, men and women whom the lust of office does not kill, men and women whom the spoils of office cannot buy, men and women who possess opinions and a will, men and women who have honour, men and women who will not lie, men and women who can stand before a demagogue and damn his treacherous flatteries without winking, tall men and women, sun-crowned who live above the fog, in public duty and in private thinking, for while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds, their large professions and their little deeds, mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps, wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.”