SPECIAL EVENTS

World Friendship Day - March 1 2005

The 300-plus Friendship Force clubs around the world are celebrating World Friendship Day with a progressive dinner party honoring the legacy of Friendship Force founder Wayne Smith. The Friendship Force of Winnipeg celebrated this Worldwide event by a walk on the Trans Canada Trail followed by desert and coffee at the coffee shop in the Conservatory. We arranged to meet at the south end of the footbridge on the Assiniboine River in Assiniboine Park. We were fortunate enough to have a lovely bright sunny day and had two routes with one being a bit shorter than the other. The coffee shop visit was great fun. Vi Hilton joined as well as two delightful 2 year olds!   We had a special guest from the Ottawa club - Marion Campbell and enjoyed sharing club news.

We hope to make this an annual event - to celebrate world friendship and the end of winter in our northern clime! The significance of the Trans Canada Trail joining Canadians can be a parallel to clubs around the world joining together to make a continuous celebration for friendship.
"A world of friends, is a world of peace"

Click here to watch Friendship Force President George Brown explain World Friendship Day. (Windows Media video, high bandwidth)

Click here to listen to George Brown. (MP3 file.)

Now more than ever, the world needs people everywhere to build bridges across the cultural barriers that can separate them. The Friendship Force matches citizen ambassadors for week-long visits in the homes of average families all over the world. Since its founding in 1977, The Friendship Force has coordinated more than 600,000 homestays.

Former President Jimmy Carter comments on the value of The Friendship Force.

Former UN Ambassador Andrew Young comments on why the organization is so successful.