BEIJING, November 20, 2025 (Xinhua) – A teacher and children greet each other to celebrate World Hello Day, which is annually commemorated on November 21. It was established in 1973 to promote peace and communication through the universal gesture of saying hello. In Chinese culture, communication focuses more on courtesy and greetings like a head bow, whereas handshakes are less common compared to the West. Although it is not a Chinese holiday, it is primarily celebrated in schools in the Asian country, where students create greeting cards. For instance, in a kindergarten in Shijiazhuang, in Hebei province in northern China, or in a primary school in Qingdao, in Shandong province in eastern China, among others. It was created by brothers Brian and Michael McCormack in 1973 in response to the Yom Kippur War and encourages people to greet ten or more people as a way to express the importance of dialogue over force in resolving conflicts. The purpose is to highlight that simple communication and goodwill are powerful tools for world peace and conflict resolution. Fun facts about the word 'Hello' 'Hello' is usually one of the first words a baby says. Thomas Edison was the first to say 'hello' when answering a telephone call. The word 'hello' is believed to derive from the word 'hail', which dates back to the Middle Ages. 'Hello' is related to other words that mean to greet. The word was first used in the 19th century, but it was used to express surprise. 'Hello', 'Bonjour', 'Guten tag', 'Ciao', 'Namaste', 'Salaam', 'Ohayo', 'Jambo', and 'Nay hoh' are all ways to say hello in other languages.
