The United Nations General Assembly declared the first World Friendship Day on July 30, 2011. The idea behind this action was to bring different countries and cultures together and build bridges between diverse communities. The International Day of Friendship fosters a culture of peace, which entails "a set of values, attitudes, and behaviors that reject violence, and endeavor to prevent conflicts, by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems." It also promotes a series of actions for sustainable economic and social development, gender equality, participation in the democratic process, understanding and solidarity with different cultures, respect for all human rights, international peace, and security.