Friendship day
Every 20 July, Argentines celebrate their friends. Phones buzz with messages, cafés and restaurants fill up and groups of friends get together, all inspired by the day people first walked on the Moon.
Photo: Camila Seves Espasandin / Unsplash
20 July every year
Across Argentina, and also in Uruguay and Brazil on the same date.
Message your friends, meet up for a meal or a coffee, and say thank you to the people who matter.
¡Feliz Día del Amigo!: Happy Friendship Day!
Argentina’s Día del Amigo is linked to 20 July 1969, the day people first walked on the Moon. Enrique Ernesto Febbraro, from Buenos Aires, saw the landing as a moment when the whole world felt united, and he is credited with sending around a thousand letters and cards to people in many countries suggesting a day for friendship. The idea caught on: Buenos Aires officially recognised the date in 1979, and today it is one of the most popular informal celebrations in the country. It is not a public holiday, but it is very widely observed.
On and around 20 July, friends send each other messages, voice notes and photos. Many people meet up for lunch, dinner, an asado or a coffee, and cafés and restaurants are often fully booked, so groups plan well ahead. Schools, clubs and workplaces sometimes mark the day too, with small gestures, cards or a shared snack. For many families, it is also a reminder to get in touch with old friends and neighbours. How people celebrate is up to them: some keep it simple with a message, while others organise a big get-together.
Friendship is celebrated on different dates in different places. Uruguay and Brazil also mark 20 July, Paraguay celebrates on 30 July, and the United Nations has recognised 30 July as the International Day of Friendship since 2011.
Celebrate Día del Amigo at home:
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If you are in Argentina on 20 July, book restaurants well in advance, as many are full. A friendly message or a small treat for local friends or colleagues is a kind gesture. The weekend nearest the date is often when the biggest get-togethers happen.
It is linked to the first Moon landing on 20 July 1969, which inspired Enrique Ernesto Febbraro to campaign for a day of friendship.
No. It is not a public holiday, but it is very widely celebrated with messages and get-togethers.
No. The United Nations International Day of Friendship is on 30 July, which is also the date used in Paraguay. Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil celebrate on 20 July.
