National World Letter Writing Day ✉

The day was founded by Australian author, artist, and photographer Richard Simpkin, who adores writing handwritten letters. It all started when he began writing to individuals he considered as Australian Legends, and also received their responses! In 2005, his experience in writing letters to legends made it possible for him to publish the book “Australian Legends.” In the book, he paid a tribute to the art of writing letters and looked back at how it changed everything for him. To further honor handwritten letters, he created the World Letter Writing Day in 2014. He also holds letter-writing workshops in schools to promote the art. Letter writing itself has existed for centuries and was present in ancient Egypt and Greece times. At that point though, letters were written on materials such as metal, lead, wax-coated wooden tablets, pottery fragments, animal skin, and papyrus. Earlier in the 17th and 18th centuries, letters were merely used to send information, specific news, information, or greetings. Others used letters to exchange ideas and formulate critical thinking regarding particular subjects. This is why several letters gathered from the past serve as an archive of personal and diplomatic interactions for historians. They are even used to determine how many events in history played out. From thereon, letters became an art form and stood out as a genre of literature. Things changed a great deal when postal services were created and people started using letters for personal interaction. In fact, during times of war, letters were the only way families and lovers could stay in touch.