On this Day 1978: ‘World Hello Day’

ATV Today went out onto the streets of Birmingham city centre asking people to say ‘hello’. 

World Hello Day, takes place every November 21st, recognising the role communication plays in preserving peace. The day also encourages world leaders to use communication rather than force to settle conflicts.

World Hello Day began in 1973 as a response to the conflict between Egypt and Israel. The conflict was called the Yom Kippur War. Two brothers, Brian McCormack and Michael McCormack, founded World Hello Day. They mailed 1360 letters in seven languages to encourage world leaders to participate.

Since then it has become a global expression of peace in 180 countries. In 1978 reporter Helen Piddock decided to see how ‘hello’ would be responded to in Birmingham…