Every year around this time, the world celebrates the International Friendship Day, to honour and cherish all kinds of friendship. The Friendship Day celebrations in Pakistan and the rest of the world mostly take place on the first Sunday of August every year. But do you ever wonder how and when did all this begin?

Well, you'll be surprised to know that the tradition of dedicating a whole day in honour of friends began in the United States of America way back in the year 1935, when the United States Congress proclaimed the very first Friendship Day in history. From then on, one country after the other followed in its footsteps and stepped forward to commemorate and celebrate something as precious and valuable as friendship.

Today, many countries all around the world, including Pakistan, celebrate Friendship Day irrespective of religion, caste, creed, culture or language, for friendship is a language that every human speaks, no matter where he or she belongs.

Did you also know that a decade ago, in 1997, the United Nations named the cartoon character Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship? Interesting isn't it? But what is even more remarkable is the way Friendship Day is celebrated in Pakistan.

Mostly limited to school or college-going youngsters, with the exception of a few adults who are still in touch with their younger side, Friendship Day in Pakistan is a highly commercialised and hyped occasion.

On this special day, young people spend as much time with their friends as they can and express love for them by sharing gifts and state-of-the-art friendship cards and goodies flooding the local markets, such as flowers, cards and wrist bands.

Did you know that it is estimated that Friendship Day is one of the most commercially benefiting occasions for the gift and card galleries as millions of gifts, cards and chocolates are bought on this occasion throughout the world.

Hence, what was once started as a small event, has now become a grand celebration of all the joys that friendship brings us, and rightly so, for friendship is one of the most treasured and cherished relations in the world. Happy Friendship Day!