INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FRIENDSHIP

Chloe Wise, left, and Sriya Krishnan.

Friendship among people, countries and cultures can inspire peace efforts and build bridges among communities ”“ it also inspired the creation of the International Day of Friendship celebration. A day, which encourages young people to act as leaders, get involved in activities that include different cultures and promote respect for diversity.

Chloe Wise and Sriya Krishnan, two Rye Country Day school students, solidified their friendship through volunteer work with the global nonprofit Operation Smile. 

After discovering the nonprofit Wise and Krishnan presented the club idea to their school student government “and the rest is history.”

“”¦Operation Smile has not only given us the opportunity to make an impact on people”™s lives, but it has also brought us closer together and made our friendship stronger,” said Krishnan.

Operation Smile revolutionized cleft surgery globally in 1982. With nearly four decades of experience as one of the largest surgical volunteer-based nonprofits, Operation Smile staff, its private-public partnerships and thousands of volunteers have improved the health and dignity of patients with cleft conditions, helping them to better breathe, eat, speak and live lives of greater quality and confidence.