World Hello Day: Say Hello to 10 People for Peace

Can one word make the world a little more peaceful? That is the idea behind World Hello Day, celebrated every year on November 21. The rule is wonderfully simple: say hello to at least ten people today — friends, neighbours, colleagues or complete strangers — and remind world leaders that conflicts are better solved by talking than by fighting.

How a Simple Greeting Became a Global Day

World Hello Day was created in 1973 by two brothers, Brian and Michael McCormack, in the United States. It was their response to the Yom Kippur War between Israel and Egypt and Syria in October that year. The brothers believed that personal communication — something as basic as a greeting — is the first step toward peace.

They mailed letters to government leaders around the world asking them to support the idea. Over the following decades the day spread to well over 100 countries, and it has been publicly endorsed by many Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Quick facts
Date	November 21 every year
First celebrated	1973
Founders	Brian McCormack and Michael McCormack
Inspired by	The 1973 Yom Kippur War
Main idea	Greet ten people; promote peace through communication
Hashtag	#WorldHelloDay

A conflict often begins when people stop talking to each other. World Hello Day begins by talking again.

Say Hello Around the World

Language	Hello	Pronunciation (approx.)
Spanish	Hola	OH-lah
French	Bonjour	bon-ZHOOR
German	Hallo / Guten Tag	HAH-loh / GOO-ten tahk
Italian	Ciao	chow
Portuguese	Olá	oh-LAH
Arabic	As-salamu alaykum / Marhaba	as-sa-LAA-mu a-LAY-kum
Hindi	Namaste	nuh-muh-STAY
Bengali	Nomoskar / Assalamu Alaikum	no-mosh-KAR
Mandarin Chinese	Nǐ hǎo (你好)	nee how
Japanese	Konnichiwa (こんにちは)	kon-nee-chee-wah
Korean	Annyeonghaseyo (안녕하세요)	ahn-nyong-ha-say-yo
Russian	Zdravstvuyte (Здравствуйте)	ZDRAST-vooy-tyeh
Swahili	Jambo / Habari	JAHM-boh
Turkish	Merhaba	MEHR-ha-bah
Hawaiian	Aloha	ah-LOH-hah
Hebrew	Shalom (שלום)	shah-LOHM

Where Does the Word “Hello” Come From?

“Hello” grew out of older English calls such as hallo, hollo and hullo, which were used to attract attention or call hunting dogs. It became a normal greeting in the 19th century. The telephone made it famous: Thomas Edison recommended answering calls with “hello”, while Alexander Graham Bell preferred the sailor’s “ahoy!” Edison’s choice won, and “hello” spread around the world.

Greetings Without Words

Gesture	Where you might see it
Handshake	Common in business across much of the world
Bow	Japan and Korea — the deeper the bow, the more respect
Wai (palms together)	Thailand, Laos and Cambodia
Hand on heart	Many Muslim-majority countries, especially between men and women
Cheek kisses	France, Spain, Italy, Latin America and the Middle East
Hongi (pressing noses)	Māori greeting in New Zealand
Namaste with joined palms	India and Nepal

Ideas to Celebrate World Hello Day

1. Take the ten-hello challenge — greet ten people you would normally walk past.
2. Reconnect with an old friend or relative you have not talked to in a while.
3. Learn hello in a new language and use it with a colleague or classmate from another country.
4. Say hello to someone who may feel lonely — an elderly neighbour, a new student or a co-worker who eats alone.
5. Classroom activity: make a “hello wall” with greetings in every language spoken by students.
6. Send a peace message to a local representative asking for dialogue in conflicts.

Why a Simple Hello Is Good for You

• Short friendly interactions — even with strangers — are linked in studies to a better mood and a stronger feeling of belonging.
• Greeting people builds trust in workplaces, schools and neighbourhoods.
• It reduces loneliness, which health experts now treat as a serious public health issue.

👉 Spread more kindness: World Kindness Day — November 13

👉 Plan ahead: All November observances

Common Questions