Life is built around affections, events, learnings, commitments, ideas, and so many other things.

Dates, anniversaries, memories are marked out on the calendar. That´s why it stands out as special days to celebrate what is most important.

Our siblings are our closest friends. We grow up with them, in the family; we share a web of experiences and complicity. What we live among siblings is unique, unrepeatable and shapes our lives forever.

That is why it becomes so important to have a day dedicated to siblings and the relationships between siblings.

We propose the establishment of a Siblings Day. Whether in the family or socially, this is the way to keep this day always present, strengthening and celebrating the importance of what happens between siblings:

• Growing up together.
• The adventures.
• The discoveries.
• Solidarity.
• Closeness.
• Complicity.
• To be identical and different.
• Diversity.
• Mutual aid, cooperation and division of tasks.
• Joy and sadness.
• The good and bad emotions.
• Tolerance.
• Reconciliation.
• Sharing.
• Stories, roots and memory.

Whoever knows the happiness of having siblings, knows the meaning of belonging.

The recently deceased founder and president of APFN - Portuguese Association of Large Families and also founder and president of ELFAC - European Large Families Confederation is the author of a phrase that marks the celebration and spirit of this initiative: «If you want to make a child happy, give them a sibling. If you want to make a child very happy, give them lots of siblings.»

The world we live in seems to forget or underestimate this truth. The institution of a Siblings Day would point out how happy we can be: be brothers and sisters.

A Siblings Day is a family celebration per excellence – it is a warm family celebration in its horizontality and, in the exact sense of the word, brotherhood. The month of May already highlights some family celebrations such as Mother's Day (in Portugal, on the 1st Sunday of May) and the International Family Day , declared and established on May 15 by a resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1992.

Closing the month, on May 31, with a Siblings Day would top off the month, celebrating one of the strongest relationships and family support systems.
On the other hand, June 1, is celebrated in many countries , such as Portugal, as the World Children’s Day. The celebration of Siblings Day on the eve of World Children’s Day provides, by coincidence, a very happy and inspiring sequence, shining the light of the motto:

«If you want to make a child happy, give them a sibling. If you want to make a child very happy, give them lots of siblings.»

It’s like, collectively, on the eve of World Children’s day, we point out the happiness of having siblings or in the future possibly more brothers and sisters.
We propose May 31 for Siblings Day.