World Smile Day is an annual celebration that is marked every year on the first Friday of October. In 2025, World Smile Day falls on Friday, October 3. A smile is a simple expression, but it carries powerful effects on our mind, body, and social life. Smiling triggers the release of endorphins and serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ hormones and helps in reducing stress, anxiety, and sadness. Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts, created the smiley face in 1963. That image went on to become the most recognizable symbol of good will and good cheer around the world. World Smile Day 2019 Quotes: Beautiful Sayings and Messages to Share And Spread Happiness of This Day.

The smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no religion and Harvey’s idea was that for at least one day each year, neither should we.  As World Smile Day 2025 nears, here’s all you need to know about the World Smile Day 2025 date and the significance of the annual event.

World Smile Day 2025 Date

World Smile Day 2025 falls on Friday, October 3.

World Smile Day 2025 Theme

World Smile Day 2025 theme is ‘Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile’.

World Smile Day History

Harvey Ball created the famous yellow smiley face in 1963. As the years passed, Ball became concerned about the over-commercialisation of his symbol, and how its original meaning and intent had become lost in the constant repetition of the marketplace. In 1999, he introduced World Smile Day with the idea that everyone should devote at least one day each year to acts of kindness and spreading smiles. He declared that the first Friday in October each year to be marked as World Smile Day.

Ever since that first World Smile Day held in 1999, it has continued every year in Smiley's hometown of Worcester, MA and around the world. After Harvey died in 2001, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was created to honour his name and memory.  The Foundation continues as the official sponsor of World Smile Day each year.

World Smile Day Significance

World Smile Day holds great significance as the day aims to spread kindness and laughter around the globe. This day reminds people to go beyond commercial uses of the smiley symbol and engage in simple acts of kindness. World Smile Day is significant because it encourages us to make the world a better place through the simplest yet most impactful act, i.e., sharing a smile.  On this day, various events are held like seminars, workshops and fun events that highlight the importance of this day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 03, 2025 07:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).