Planning ahead to the next Idealist Day
If you saw this page, or heard about this whole idea, and thought, “Yes! I am going to do that!”—that thing you’ve been wanting to do forever… Great! Go for it!
On the other hand, if you are not sure how or where to start, please read on, and also check out these "Recipes for Action."
First, here are a few quick starting points for 8/8, 9/9, or any month after that:
1. Invite friends or neighbors to share a meal, play a game, make some music together, or have a conversation about one thing they'd like to do for the community—and tell them why you are hosting them that day.
2. Think of someone you admire for everything they do for others, tag them online, and tell everyone why you are celebrating that person's generosity or idealism in this way.
3. Simply say, “Happy Idealist Day!” on social media, tell people what this is, and invite them to join you next time.
4. See if a local organization could use your help that day (or any other day).
5. Join us here for a livestream with people from all over the world.
Let's start with community and connection
As you possibly think of bigger events, we recommend starting with activities that ignite or reinforce connection and community.
This will allow us to build trust locally and around the world, while having some fun doing it.
Over the next few days and weeks we'll be adding more items to this list, and more links and details to each item. This is just a start, in no particular order (and any two or three ideas here can be combined in various ways):-
- An evening of board games, just because.
- A picnic at a local park.
- A "Post-it wall" or "vision board" with ideas from many people.
- A cleanup of a beach, a path, an empty lot—you name it.
- A group walk or a hike, in a city or in nature.
- Inviting an inspiring speaker from a local organizations to your school or workplace, or to an event you can host at home.
- Invite people to sing, dance, or watch a movie in a local park or plaza.
- Painting a mural on a good wall.
- A cycling or skating tour of the city or neighborhood, possibly at an uncommon hour.
- Persuade your museum to stay open all night.
- A sunrise-watching party, with breakfast afterwards. Why not?
And many more ideas, which we'll gather together as we go...