Siblings Day

The US holiday was conceived by Claudia Evart in 1995{{Cite web |title=To celebrate World Siblings Day, meet a couple of wild brothers and sisters |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/upstateparent/2023/04/03/for-world-siblings-day-meet-a-couple-of-wild-brothers-and-sisters/70074780007/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=The Greenville News |language=en-US}} to honor the memory of her brother and sister.{{cite web |last=Spiegel |first=Debbi |date=March 22, 2013 |title=Celebrate National Siblings Day! |url=http://www.longisland.com/articles/09-26-13/celebrate-national-siblings-day.html |access-date=March 22, 2013}} The Siblings Day Foundation was incorporated in 1997 and achieved non-profit status in 1999.{{cite web |title=Siblings Day Foundation |url=http://www.siblingsday.org/fact-sheet |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415034008/http://www.siblingsday.org/fact-sheet |archive-date=April 15, 2013 |access-date=April 10, 2013}} Carolyn Maloney, then the U.S. representative for {{ushr|NY|14|}}, officially saluted the holiday and introduced it into the official Congressional Record of the United States Congress on April 10, 1997; and in subsequent years 2001, 2005 and 2008.{{cite web |last1=Maloney |first1=Carolyn |title=Congressional Record - 111th Congress, 2nd Session |url=https://www.congress.gov/crec/2010/04/13/CREC-2010-04-13-pt1-PgE525-2.pdf |publisher=US Congress}}

Claudia Evart, a native New Yorker and resident of New York City, founded the Siblings Day Foundation (SDF) as a tax-exempt organization. Inspired by the loss of her siblings Alan (age 36) and Lisette (age 19) at a young age, she created the SDF with the aim of establishing a National Siblings Day to be celebrated annually on April 10, Lisette's birthday.{{Cite web |title=About – Siblings Day Foundation |url=https://www.siblingsday.org/about-us/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |language=en-US}}

Since its establishment in 1995, the Siblings Day Foundation, a nonprofit volunteer organization, has received formal recognition from three American presidents. Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama each signing Presidential Messages in 2000, 2008, and 2016 respectively, praising the foundation's efforts.{{Cite web |title=Presidential Letters of Support Gallery – Siblings Day Foundation |url=https://www.siblingsday.org/presidential-letters-of-support-gallery/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |language=en-US}} The foundation has also garnered widespread support from 49 U.S. governors. Notable individuals such as Senators Edward Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton, and Karen Gillibrand, seven White House cabinet members, three New York mayors, the Manhattan Borough President, various state and local elected officials, celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, and siblings across America have also commended the Siblings Day Foundation.{{Cite web |title=Congressional Support Letters Gallery – Siblings Day Foundation |url=https://www.siblingsday.org/congressional-support-letters-gallery/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |language=en-US}}

Siblings Day has expanded internationally, with fourteen countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, India, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, and the United Kingdom either continuing or adopting the celebration since 2014.{{Cite web |last=Import |first=Pongrass |date=2017-04-10 |title=It is National sibling Day! |url=http://krugersdorpnews.co.za/323513/maandag-it-is-national-sibling-day/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=Krugersdorp News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Internationella syskondagen: 7 anledningar att krama dina syskon i dag |url=https://www.expressen.se/halsoliv/manskligt/syskonkarlek-7-skal-att-krama-dina-syskon/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=Hälsoliv |date=April 9, 2017 |language=sv}}{{Cite web |date=2014-04-11 |title=Have you showed your sibling love for National Sibling's Day? |url=https://www.rappler.com/technology/social-media/55288-national-siblings-day-2014/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=RAPPLER |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=America |first=Good Morning |title=6 siblings, all working in medicine, appear in viral photo |url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/family/story/siblings-working-medicine-viral-photo-77223267 |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=Good Morning America |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Bing Microsoft Translator - Translate to English |url=http://www.bing.com/translator/?from=&to=en&ref=TAns&refd=www.bing.com&dl=en&rr=DC&a=http:%20//sibtane.com/siblingsday%20or%20http://sibtane.com/siblingsday |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=www.bing.com}}{{Cite news |date=2015-04-12 |title=Bollywood celebrates siblings day |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Bollywood-celebrates-siblings-day/articleshow/46888799.cms |access-date=2023-07-13 |issn=0971-8257}}{{Cite web |date=2019-04-11 |title=Mom, Anshula turned out better than me: Arjun Kapoor pens touching note on Siblings Day |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mom-anshula-turned-out-better-than-me-arjun-kapoor-pens-touching-note-on-siblings-day-1499359-2019-04-11 |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=India Today |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-11 |title=National Siblings Day in Canada - Monday, April 10, 2023 |url=https://www.wincalendar.com/ca/National-Siblings-Day |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=www.wincalendar.com |language=en-CA}}

Siblings Day has gained attention through its coverage in various media outlets including CNN, Voice of America, International Business Times, and YouTube's global blog. It's also a popular topic on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Tumblr.

Since its inception in 1995, Siblings Day has garnered widespread recognition. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted it a "Service Mark" in 2007, which was renewed in 2020. The Siblings Day Foundation, has been working towards official recognition of the day. On February 25, 2023, the foundation penned a letter to President Biden requesting a Presidential Proclamation to establish the day as a commemorative event.

In Europe, the holiday was launched in 2014 by the European Large Families Confederation (ELFAC) to celebrate siblings' bonds and relationships on May 31. The May 31 feast spread in different ways in the European countries where ELFAC is present. In Portugal, Dia dos Irmãos{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2020 |title=Happy National Siblings Day! |url=https://www.eturbonews.com/569920/happy-national-siblings-day/ |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=eTurboNews {{!}} Trends {{!}} Travel News |language=en-US}} has become very popular and the President of Republic of Portugal greeted it publicly, in 2016 and 2017.{{cite news |date=May 31, 2016 |title=Presidente da República assinala o Dia dos Irmãos |publisher=Presidência da República (Portugal) |url=http://www.presidencia.pt/?idc=18&idi=108113 |access-date=May 1, 2018}}{{cite news |date=May 31, 2017 |title=Presidente da República assinala o Dia dos Irmãos |publisher=Presidência da República (Portugal) |url=http://www.presidencia.pt/?idc=18&idi=129863 |access-date=May 1, 2018}}

The siblings' day is celebrated across European countries:{{cite web |title=ELFAC members |url=http://www.elfac.org/about-us/members/ |access-date=May 1, 2018 |publisher=ELFAC}} Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Switzerland. But adherence to the date and spirit of May 31 or April 10, the original date established for the Siblings Day,{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Amanda |date=2019-04-10 |title=It's National Siblings Day! Here's what you need to know |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/10/health/national-siblings-day-trnd/index.html |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=CNN |language=en}} is open to any other European or non-European country.

In the United States, approximately 80% of people have siblings.{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/11/10/about-80-percent-of-americans-have-at/|agency=Chicago Tribune|title=About 80 percent of Americans have at least one sibling...}} The holiday is intended to be a celebration of the relationship between brothers and sisters.

Examples of commemoration during this observance include: giving your sibling a gift (including a surprise gift), a gift card, and taking one out for dinner.The Oamaru Telegram Issue 192: Non-material examples of observances during this day includes giving hugs to your sibling(s), enjoying time with them, honoring their presence in your life, and greeting them on various social media platforms using childhood photos.Twelve Principles of the Gilded Nest: Designing for the Soul of the Home, p 97, 2002Chases Calendar of Events, 2012 Edition, McGraw Hill Professional

File:Cartaz Dia dos Irmãos 2016.jpg|Siblings Day poster, published by APFN, the Portuguese Large Families Association, May 2016.

• Children's Day
• Rakhri
• Raksha Bandhan: a popular, traditionally Hindu, annual Siblings Day

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.siblingsday.org Siblings Day Foundation]
• [http://video.foxnews.com/v/2290307447001/national-sibling-day-growing-up-with-brian/ Fox News Video on Siblings Day]
• [http://www.brothersandsistersday.org/ Brothers and Sisters Day]

{{Family}}

{{Public holidays in the United States}}

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Category:April observances

Category:Traditions involving siblings

Category:Family member holidays

Category:May observances

Category:Sibling