Say Hi Day is observed annually on June 11 in commemoration of Joseph Anthony Cinotti, a teen with special needs who passed away at the age of 15. Throughout his life, Cinotti made it a habit to greet everyone he encountered, and his upbeat personality endeared him to his community. Say Hi Day is a public awareness campaign that seeks to remind individuals that a simple greeting can brighten someone’s day, bring a smile to their face, or alter their disposition. A simple greeting can spark an avalanche of positive interactions and make all the difference.
HISTORY OF SAY HI DAY
“Hi!” is an exclamation used as a salutation interjection. The earliest known mention of attracting attention dates back to 1862. In the early 20th century, it became popular as a salutation phrase. Say Hi Day was inspired by Joseph Anthony Cinotti, a 15-year-old teenager. Cinotti spent his entire existence greeting everyone he met and expecting everyone to be kind, humane, and aware that everyone in the world is important. He passed away in 2018. Say Hi Day was celebrated for the first time on June 11, 2021, by the Say Hi Foundation.
The purpose of Say Hi Day is to remind people that a simple greeting can brighten someone’s day, bring a smile to their face, or alter their demeanour. The National Day Archives adopted, recorded, and officially acknowledged this day. Say Hi Day began in 2004 as part of the Community Safety & Crime Prevention Council of Waterloo Region’s Get Connected campaign, which sought to increase community engagement, particularly among youth.
Making eye contact with strangers and greeting them can be intimidating for many people, but once you get started, it becomes second nature and saying hi becomes a natural response. Building a solid, compassionate community is one of our most effective crime-prevention strategies. The initiative encourages individuals to say welcome to their neighbours and fosters a sense of community care, belonging, and responsibility.
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FIVE ‘HELLO’ FACTS
Informal greeting
‘Hi’ is equivalent to ‘hello,’ but has a slightly more casual tone.
‘Hi’ preceded ‘hello’
‘Hi’ was recorded much earlier than ‘hello.’
English ancestry
‘Hi’ is derived from the Middle English word ‘hy,’ which is similar to ‘hey’ and ‘ha.’
The initial usage
Originally, the word ‘hi’ was used as an appeal for attention.
107 ways to express ‘hi’
There are 107 different methods to say “hello” in English.
SAY HI DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | June 11 | Sunday |
| 2024 | June 11 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | June 11 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | June 11 | Thursday |
| 2027 | June 11 | Friday |
