Hubbry Logo
World Kindness DayWorld Kindness DayMain
Open search
World Kindness Day
Community hub
World Kindness Day
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

World Kindness Day
Celebrationsevery year
Date13 November
Next time13 November 2026 (2026-11-13)
FrequencyAnnual
First time13 November 1998

World Kindness Day is an international observance on 13 November.[1] It was introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, a coalition of nations' kindness NGOs. It is observed in many countries, including Canada, Australia, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates. Singapore observed the day for the first time in 2009. Italy and India also observed the day. In the UK, it is fronted by David Jamilly, who co-founded Kindness Day UK with Louise Burfitt-Dons.

History

[edit]

In 2010, at the request of Michael Lloyd-White, the New South Wales Federation Parents and Citizens Association wrote to the Minister of The NSW Department of Education to place World Kindness Day on the NSW School Calendar.

In 2012, at the request of the Chairman of World Kindness Australia, World Kindness Day was placed on the Federal School Calendar and then the Minister of School Education, Early Childhood, and Youth. The Hon Peter Garrett provided a Declaration of Support for World Kindness Australia and placed World Kindness Day on the National School Calendar for over 9000 schools.

Schools across the globe are now celebrating World Kindness Day and work with local NGOs such as the Be Kind People Project and Life Vest Inside In the USA. In 2012 in Australia, Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales, hosted an event for the first time at Government House to celebrate World Kindness Day and accepted a Cool To Be Kind Award from year 3 & 4 students. Australian Councils representing over 1.3 million residents have also signed Declarations of Support for World Kindness Australia placing World Kindness Day on the Council Calendar of Events.

Events include THE BIG HUG, handing out Kindness Cards, Global Flashmob, which was coordinated by Orly Wahba from the US and was held in 15 countries and 33 cities with its images of the event making the big screens in New York City. Canada celebrates with The Kindness Concert and in Singapore in 2009, 45,000 yellow flowers were given away. In 2017 World Kindness day was also celebrated in Slovenia, organized by volunteering organisation Humanitarček as part of their project Randomised Kindness.[2]

Objective

[edit]

World Kindness Day is to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness for good which binds us. Kindness is a fundamental part of the human condition which bridges the divides of race, religion, politics, gender and location. Kindness Cards are also an ongoing activity which can either be passed on to recognize an act of kindness and or ask that an act of kindness be done. According to Gulf News, "it is a day that encourages individuals to overlook boundaries, race and religion."[3]

See also

[edit]

General holidays

[edit]

Volunteer day events

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

World Kindness Day

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
World Kindness Day is an annual global observance held on to promote acts of , , and goodwill, encouraging individuals and communities worldwide to perform positive deeds that foster connection and . Initiated in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement (WKM), a non-profit coalition of national and international kindness organizations now involving over 28 countries, the day emerged from the movement's founding conference in , , on September 20, 1997, which united representatives from various nations for the first time to advance global kindness initiatives. The WKM, which operates without political, commercial, or religious affiliations, launched World Kindness Day specifically on to highlight good deeds and inspire a kinder world, with member organizations required to host related events annually. The significance of World Kindness Day lies in its emphasis on as a universal principle that enhances , , , and mood while building stronger social ties and . Celebrations typically involve simple yet impactful activities, such as compliment circles, , donating to causes, or random acts like sending flowers or checking on neighbors, often coordinated through schools, workplaces, and local groups to amplify the day's message of positive change.

Overview

Date and Observance

World Kindness Day is observed annually on November 13. This date was selected as it marked the launch of the day during the first Movement conference in in 1998, coinciding with the 35th anniversary of the Japanese Movement. The day functions as an unofficial international observance rather than a formal , with no associated mandatory closures or time off in any nation. It receives indirect support from United Nations-affiliated entities, such as UNESCO's Institute of Education for Peace and , which promotes the day as part of broader initiatives, though it lacks a formal by the UN . The World Kindness Movement continues efforts to secure official UN recognition. Observance occurs through the World Kindness Movement's global network, spanning over 28 countries including , the , , , and the . The day was first marked in 1998 and has since evolved into a recurring global event, with participation expanding steadily through 2025.

Core Purpose

The core purpose of World Kindness Day, observed annually on November 13, is to highlight the common thread of that binds humanity together and to encourage acts of goodwill as a counter to negativity and division in society. Established by the World Kindness Movement (WKM), the day serves as a global reminder to foster goodwill among communities through intentional expressions of , promoting greater understanding and cooperation across diverse groups and nations. At its philosophical core, World Kindness Day emphasizes the promotion of , , and unity across cultures by prioritizing simple, everyday actions—such as a kind word or small —over grand or performative efforts. The WKM's vision acknowledges the fundamental importance of "simple human as a basic condition of a satisfying and ," urging participants to engage in these accessible practices to build interpersonal connections and reduce societal barriers. This focus on modest, relatable deeds democratizes , making it a universal tool for enhancing emotional and social harmony without requiring extraordinary resources. Drawing from the idea that kindness is contagious, the day aims to initiate ripple effects in communities and societies, where one act inspires others to perpetuate positive behaviors. The WKM's long-term vision, as articulated in its , is to "build a kinder and more compassionate world" through these annual reminders, inspiring individuals, organizations, and nations to collaborate on sustained efforts toward global and unity. By embedding kindness into collective consciousness year after year, the initiative seeks to cultivate enduring cultural shifts that prioritize as a foundational societal value.

Origins and History

Formation of the World Kindness Movement

The World Kindness Movement originated from the Japanese Small Kindness Movement, which was established in 1963 following a speech by Seiji Kaya, then-president of the , urging graduates to practice "small kindnesses" in daily life to foster a more compassionate society. This initiative gained momentum through grassroots efforts to promote acts of . In 1997, the Japanese Small Kindness Movement spearheaded the expansion into an international coalition by hosting a in on September 20, bringing together representatives from kindness organizations across 7 co-founding nations for the first time. This gathering included key groups such as the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation from the , and organizations from , , , , and the . The conference resulted in a formal declaration establishing the World Kindness Movement as a global network dedicated to promoting worldwide. The movement's foundational principles, adopted at the 1997 conference, emphasized a non-profit, non-political, and non-religious approach, focusing on initiatives to encourage everyday acts of without ties to any commercial or ideological agendas. Early activities centered on conferences and networking sessions that facilitated collaboration among member organizations, aiming to standardize and amplify kindness promotion efforts on an international scale by the end of 1997. This 's formation laid the groundwork for the launch of in 1998.

Establishment of the Day

was officially introduced on November 13, 1998, by the World Kindness Movement. This launch followed the movement's formation the previous year through a of international non-governmental organizations dedicated to promoting globally. The date of was selected by members as a unified observance to synchronize initiatives across nations, emphasizing its neutral position outside major religious or cultural holidays and its alignment with a season associated with goodwill and reflection. Initial rollout focused on coordinating efforts among founding member organizations from countries including , the , , and , with the goal of fostering worldwide awareness. Launch events in 1998 were modest, consisting of small-scale gatherings and community activities in participating countries such as , the , and . These early observances centered on participants making personal pledges to perform acts of and initiatives to raise public awareness about the positive impact of compassionate actions in daily life. Throughout the 2000s, World Kindness Day expanded under the World Kindness Movement's structure, which was formally established at its third conference in on November 18, 2000. Subsequent milestones included the second International Council Meeting in , , in 2008, and the sixth General Assembly in , , in 2010, marking steady institutional growth and increased international participation. By 2010, the movement had incorporated digital campaigns to broaden outreach, alongside the development of an official website in that provided centralized resources for global coordination. In 2019, the World Kindness Movement was registered as a under Swiss law, further solidifying its global structure. As of 2025, the movement includes over 33 member organizations from nations worldwide, continuing to expand its influence through annual conferences and coordinated initiatives.

Global Celebrations

Common Activities and Events

World Kindness Day features a variety of organized public events worldwide, often coordinated by kindness organizations and local groups to promote and . Major initiatives include global flash mobs, such as the annual Dance for Kindness event organized by Life Vest Inside, with cumulative participation from over 310 cities across 76 countries since 2012, where participants perform synchronized dances to the same song on November 13, highlighting collective acts of goodwill. Kindness fairs, workshops, and interactive sessions are also common, with employers and communities hosting booths from nonprofits to educate on opportunities; for instance, corporate kindness fairs allow attendees to connect with agencies and sign up for service projects. Additionally, events like MGIEP's collaborations feature discussions on through and , emphasizing its role in . In educational and professional settings, structured programs amplify the day's message through group activities. Schools frequently hold assemblies and kindness challenges, with organizations like the School of Kindness delivering virtual assemblies to over 100,000 children annually, integrating anti-bullying themes and interactive pledges. These often tie into broader initiatives like Random Acts of Kindness Week, where students participate in multi-day challenges to perform and share compassionate acts. Workplaces organize corporate volunteer days and assessments, such as the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation's Distinguished Kindness Workplace program, which provides checklists and custom challenges adopted by entities like to foster team-building through service. Examples include Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's kindness campaigns, which encourage employee-led volunteering and recognition events. Media and awareness efforts play a key role in amplifying reach, with annual social media campaigns using hashtags like #WorldKindnessDay to share stories and challenges, trending globally each . announcements have been prominent since at least 2022, including Kindness Factory's "Public Kindness Announcements" campaign, which aired messages promoting everyday compassion via partnerships with media agencies. Notable highlights include adaptations during the , such as Life Vest Inside's 2020 virtual event featuring inspiring talks from global speakers to maintain connection amid restrictions, and Touch-A-Life Foundation's online panels on kindness in crisis. By 2025, many events have evolved to hybrid formats, blending in-person gatherings with virtual options, as seen in ongoing school assemblies and corporate webinars; for example, the School of Kindness held virtual assemblies for primary schools on November 13, 2025, coinciding with Anti-Bullying Week.

Participation Methods

Individuals can participate in World Kindness Day through simple everyday acts of kindness, such as offering sincere compliments to acquaintances, assisting strangers with small tasks like carrying groceries, or making donations to local charities. These actions are promoted by the World Kindness Movement, which emphasizes creating a through intentional gestures. Partner organizations like the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation provide downloadable toolkits and calendars outlining 10 suggested actions, including writing thank-you notes, smiling at passersby, or time for a cause, to guide personal involvement. Community-level participation often involves small-group initiatives, such as organizing kindness chains where participants link paper strips documenting acts of goodwill to visualize impact, or coordinating pay-it-forward drives at local coffee shops or drive-thrus to cover the next person's order. These methods are adaptable for families, workplaces, or online groups via virtual planning tools, fostering connection without requiring large-scale coordination. Digital engagement amplifies personal efforts by sharing stories of kindness on platforms like or , often using hashtags such as #WorldKindnessDay to inspire others. Popular challenges include the "Kindness Jar," where individuals fill a jar with notes describing daily kind acts and track progress personally or share updates online, encouraging sustained reflection. To ensure inclusivity, participation methods incorporate tips for diverse groups, such as audio-recorded kindness prompts for those with visual impairments or simplified digital templates for varying abilities. Virtual options, including online sharing and remote challenges, have become standard for participants in remote or mobility-limited situations, allowing global connection to broader celebrations.

Impact and Legacy

Cultural and Social Influence

World Kindness Day has contributed to measurable social changes, particularly in promoting prosocial behaviors such as . Research indicates that regular participation in initiatives, including those tied to the day, correlates with increased rates, as volunteer work has been shown to boost self-confidence, reduce stress, and lower rates of depression and anxiety. A 2023 poll by the found that 89% of respondents felt better after performing an act of , highlighting the day's role in encouraging such behaviors across participating countries like the , , and . Additionally, the 2025 notes that benevolent acts remain over 10% higher than pre-2019 levels. Culturally, the day has influenced educational systems by integrating kindness promotion into curricula, especially in anti-bullying efforts. In , organizations like Kind Canada have advocated for a national kindness curriculum for elementary and high schools, blending evidence-based programming to foster and reduce . Similarly, in the UK, the Anti-Bullying Alliance and School of Kindness have incorporated World Kindness Day activities into school programs, aligning with Anti-Bullying Week to teach kindness through assemblies and lesson plans that address . In 2025, celebrations included virtual assemblies by the School of Kindness reaching over 100,000 children. These integrations have helped normalize discussions on , leading to broader cultural shifts toward empathetic . Media coverage has amplified the day's reach, with annual features in major outlets exposing millions to its message. The has produced dedicated content for World Kindness Day, such as 2025 articles on kindness and wellbeing viewed by global audiences. similarly covers the event yearly, including 2021 and 2019 stories on acts of kindness that reach tens of millions through its platforms, enhancing public awareness and participation. The observance addresses societal challenges like cynicism by drawing on evidence-based linking to improved . Harvard Health studies demonstrate that acts of enhance , reduce anxiety symptoms, and increase social connectedness, providing empirical support to counter negative outlooks. For instance, shows that performing kind acts daily boosts engagement with life and lowers depression risks, reinforcing the day's emphasis on sustainable positivity. One key extension of the World Kindness Movement is the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation's annual Random Acts of Kindness Week, held during the second full week of , which promotes structured acts of kindness through community events, educational resources, and challenges. This initiative draws direct influence from the broader kindness movement, particularly since the launch of in in 2004, aligning with the global emphasis on spontaneous goodwill established by the World Kindness Movement. The World Kindness Movement has developed partnerships with international bodies to amplify its reach, including collaborations with 's Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) on kindness-focused programs, such as the #KindnessMatters campaign initiated in 2018 to mobilize youth actions toward through compassionate practices. These efforts build on the movement's foundational principles to integrate kindness into global frameworks. Regional adaptations have emerged as vital offshoots, notably in , where the Small Kindness Movement—originating in and instrumental in the World Kindness Movement's 1997 formation—has expanded into ongoing annual activities and festivals that emphasize everyday courteous gestures and community harmony. In the United States, World Kindness USA, launched in 2018 as the national arm of the movement, coordinates local initiatives to foster collaborative kindness efforts across sectors like education and business. Modern evolutions include digital platforms that extend the movement's framework, such as the BeKind app, which enables users worldwide to track, share, and receive daily prompts for acts of , thereby creating a virtual network for global participation and measurement of impact. These tools, emerging prominently in the early , democratize kindness tracking and reinforce the annual observance's principles in an online era.

References

  1. https://www.theworldkindnessmovement.org/about-us-2/story/
  2. https://mgiep.unesco.org/article/world-kindness-day
  3. https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/world-kindness-day
  4. https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/international/world-kindness-day-november-13
  5. https://www.theworldkindnessmovement.org/home/
  6. https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-kindness-blog/2766-10-fun-ways-to-celebrate-world-kindness-day
  7. https://www.careandkindness.org/capsules/wkd_hist.htm
  8. https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/top10facts/878882/world-kindness-day-november-today-act-quote
  9. https://nationaltoday.com/world-kindness-day/
  10. https://convoyofhope.org/articles/world-kindness-day/
  11. https://www.thereisadayforthat.com/holidays/various/world-kindness-day
  12. https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/world-kindness-day/
  13. https://www.theworldkindnessmovement.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WKM-CONSTITUTION-AMENDMENTS-for-2017-Rework.pdf
  14. https://www.theworldkindnessmovement.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/World-kindness-movement-handbook-2020.pdf
  15. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2007/07/28/general/all-women-npo-acknowledges-the-small-kindness/
  16. https://www.longislandpress.com/2011/11/13/world-kindness-day/
  17. https://theworldkindnessusa.org/about-us
  18. https://www.theworldkindnessmovement.org/about-us-2/
  19. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/world-kindness-day-brings-little-light-dark-world-n935936
  20. https://www.yoursurprise.ca/blog/international-days/world-kindness-day
  21. https://calendar.cx/world-kindness-day-november-13/
  22. https://thebekindpeopleproject.org/world-kindness-day/
  23. https://www.danceforkindness.com/
  24. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2023/11/13/what-is-world-kindness-day-and-how-can-you-celebrate-at-work/
  25. https://mgiep.unesco.org/article/world-kindness-day-through-music-and-fashion
  26. https://schoolofkindness.org/world-kindness-day
  27. https://classic.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/8862-awesome-ways-to-encourage-being-kind-at-school
  28. https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-at-work
  29. https://www.sunnysidesun.com/news/national/small-acts-big-impact-as-the-world-readies-for-world-kindness-day/article_9a272ee1-8946-5e7f-8ca5-dd7f694f4b5b.html
  30. https://campaignbrief.com/kindness-factory-launches-first-ever-brand-campaign-public-kindness-announcements-for-world-kindness-day-via-vmlyr-and-wavemaker/
  31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSSSYvuDC-o
  32. https://touchalife.org/newsroom/press-releases/touch-a-life-foundation-celebrates-world-kindness-day-2020/
  33. https://worldkindness.org/
  34. https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-kindness-blog/2933-10-kindness-week-ideas-for-schools
  35. https://www.goodnet.org/articles/6-most-inspiring-pay-forward-chains
  36. https://www.twinkl.com/blog/world-kindness-day-classroom-activities
  37. https://reachlink.com/advice/happiness/world-kindness-day-spreading-joy-through-compassion/
  38. https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/new-poll-small-acts-of-kindness-benefits
  39. https://www.worldhappiness.report/ed/2025/caring-and-sharing-global-analysis-of-happiness-and-kindness/
  40. https://www.internationalkindnessday.org/impact-education
  41. https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/all-about-bullying/preventing-bullying/promoting-kindness-schools
  42. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zrx7h4j
  43. https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/13/health/world-kindness-day-2021-acts-wellness
  44. https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/13/us/world-kindness-day-free-kind-things-trnd
  45. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-healing-power-of-kindness
  46. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-heartfelt-effects-of-kindness
  47. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-heart-and-science-of-kindness-2019041816447
  48. https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/
  49. https://victoriafoundation.bc.ca/see-the-impact/random-acts-of-kindness-day/
  50. https://mgiep.unesco.org/article/world-kindness-day-with-the-world-kindness-movement
  51. https://mgiep.unesco.org/kindnessmattersnews
  52. https://mgiep.unesco.org/article/what-is-the-small-kindness-movement
  53. https://www.bekind.app/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.