Día del Amigos - Friend's Day in Argentina

By looking at the date July 20 might not ring a bell right away that it was the day that men had landed on the moon for the very first time in 1969. It was because of this historical mankind achievement that caused Dr. Enrique Ernesto Febbraro, a psychology/philosophy/history professor from Argentina, to realize that we are all united and have all been brought together by this very special event; thus, created El Día del Amigo (Friend’s Day). Soon after, it was also officially recognized by the government, and July 20 has been the day to celebrate friendship in Argentina ever since.

While el Día del Amigo is not a public holiday, Argentines do really care about it and take this opportunity to get together with friends. You’ll see many restaurants, bars and clubs offer special promotions that are tailored to groups. Also, since a few years ago when pretty much everyone started to have a cellphone, it is not uncommon for the cellphone network in major cities, including Buenos Aires, to collapse on this very day because of the heavy usage for greetings among friends. According to the phone companies, the traffic is highly comparable to those during Christmas day and New Year’s Eve.

Tomorrow, Saturday July 20, will be the 2013 Día del Amigo in Argentina. If you haven’t made plans with your friends yet, better pick up the phone now, otherwise, you may not be able to get connected at all tomorrow!

Vamos Spanish wishes you Feliz Día del Amigo!

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