Celebrate International Mentoring Day on January 17th

Since 2002, January has been officially recognized as National Mentoring Month across the United States. Organized by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, the month is a time to raise awareness of the benefits of mentoring and to encourage more people to volunteer. This year, though, the movement finally spans worldwide: International Mentoring Day is being celebrated on January 17th.

Organized as a joint collaboration by MENTOR, the Muhammad Ali Center, and Epicenter Community, International Mentoring Day hopes to engage people around the world in a discussion on the impact of both formal and informal mentors. The date for the day was chosen to coincide with Muhammad Ali’s birthday, to recognize his role as a mentor and motivator to others.

“Muhammad has been a mentor to me, his family, friends, fans, and countless numbers of individuals around the world for decades,” said Lonnie Ali, the Ali Center, “Mentors are gifts to the world. They encourage, motivate, reinforce, and guide others to reach individual greatness. Muhammad and I are both proud that International Mentoring Day will be launched in Muhammad’s name on his 74th birthday and hope that on this day, and for years in the future, ordinary people will take a first step to mentoring someone who needs support, direction, and somebody to believe in them. Mentors have the power to change lives.”

To celebrate International Mentoring Day, the organizations have asked that people do the following:

  1. Follow International Mentoring Day on Facebook and Twitter and follow the conversation.
  2. Post to @mentoringday and #MentorIRL photos, video, messages and stories about your mentors and how you are a mentor to others.
  3. Answer two simple questions…
    • What does mentoring mean to you?
    • How do you define mentoring?
  4. The top 10 most liked social media posts by Jan 31 will be highlighted by the Muhammad Ali Center.
  5. Go to change.org and share your comments and ideas to further recognize the significance of mentoring around the world.

What will you do to celebrate International Mentoring Day? We hope this day is a success and becomes an annual tradition!

Read the full press release on International Mentoring Day on MENTOR’s website.

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