“Say ‘Hello’ for Peace: A Simple Greeting That Can Change Minds”
Some things have been around for ages. From the time of their invention to the present, they have not changed. One such thing is the first thing to say ‘hello’ when picking up a telephone or mobile phone. It is said that Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, first used the word ‘ahoy’ as a telephone greeting. Later, the word ahoy became ‘hello’ for the sake of pronunciation. Thomas Alva Edison used the word ‘hello’ as a formal greeting on the telephone. This word comes from the old German word ‘hella, hola’. That word was used to call the ferry boat driver in Germany. Anyway, we all know how hello came about. But do we know how and why World Hello Day came about?
World Hello Day is celebrated on November 21. Although it may sound very simple, it also has a significance like other days. This day encourages people to greet each other and to recognize the importance of simple communication in our daily lives. However, its origin story is long and interesting. It is good to know that the word hello was first used not as a word of greeting; but to attract attention. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first written record of the word was found in the ‘Norwich Courier’ in 1826.
History of World Hello Day
The journey of World Hello Day began in 1973. Its purpose was not to provoke conflict or violence; but to make people understand that everything can and should be solved through communication. The idea that clear and honest communication breeds peace was the basis for the introduction of World Hello Day.
In the seventies, the conflict between Egypt and Israel was quite serious. As a result, the world feared another major war. Keeping that in mind, Hello Day was introduced to increase the importance of communication, especially among people in the Middle East.
The day was created as a direct response to the Yom Kippur War that ended in October 1973. Thousands of soldiers and innocent civilians were killed in that war. Some soldiers were tortured, and several soldiers were sentenced to death. The peace talks that ended the war were the first meeting between Arab and Israeli officials in 25 years. That meeting ended a bloody war.
World Hello Day was conceived by Arizona State University PhD graduate Brian McCormack and Harvard graduate Michael McCormack. Since its inception, the day has been celebrated in 180 countries. 31 of the Nobel Peace Prize laureates have said that World Hello Day is of great importance as an occasion to maintain world peace. The day gives any person, organization or government in the world an opportunity to contribute to the peace process.
Why is Hello Day important
Have you ever thought about the importance of greeting someone? Or wondered what our world would be like without saying hello? Communication is a basic human concept and a beautiful way to greet someone. No matter what language or country you are from, hello is a familiar language of communication. Peace is a sensitive issue for war-torn regions. ‘Hello’ is a reminder of peace. The word ‘hello’ spoken carelessly can break through barbed wire. It can spread peace around the world.
Lack of communication and communication deteriorates the relationship between two people and even between states. Therefore, communication is a very important aspect of our lives. And that communication or conversation can begin with saying ‘hello’. From this perspective, the word hello plays a huge role in peace.
Interesting facts about hello
The custom of greeting with the word hello was prevalent in the 19th century as a symbol of social equality. At that time, it was considered rude and impolite to speak to someone without formally introducing yourself by saying hello. Therefore, the word ‘hello’ as a greeting on the telephone quickly became a symbol of social equality. This was further fueled by the District Telephone Company of New Haven, Connecticut. The first phone directory they published in 1878 instructed telephone users to start conversations with the word “hello.”
