International Day of Happiness

The International Day of Happiness is celebrated throughout the world on the 20th of March. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 June 2012.

Assembly Resolution A/RES/66/281 states in pertinent part:

Balloons of Happiness

The General Assembly,[…] Conscious that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal,[…] Recognizing also the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and the well-being of all peoples, Decides to proclaim 20 March the International Day of Happiness, Invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day of Happiness in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness-raising activities[…]
—United Nations General Assembly, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 28 June 2012^[1]

The International Day of Happiness Resolution 65/309 was the result of the effort the Kingdom of Bhutan and its Gross National Happiness Initiative. ^[2]

This UN resolution marked the historical milestone of globalizing the Happiness Development Movement that started in 1972. ^[3]

Stuart Semple Happy Clouds

History of Happiness Development Initiatives

The following historical timeline lists happiness development milestones and international happiness initiatives.

1972
- Bhutan's King introduced the Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy and its four development pillars at an international conference. ^[4]

2005
- International Institute of Management introduced second generation GNH (GNH 2.0), the first GNH Index and the first Global GNH Index Survey ^[5]

2006
- The Genuine Progress Indicator was updated from a green measurement system to a broader concept that included quantitative measurement of well-being and happiness.^[6] The new measure is motivated by the philosophy of the GNH and the same notion of that subjective measures like well-being are more relevant and important than more objective measures like consumption. It is not measured directly, but only the factors which are believed to lead to it.
- 2006 - The International Institute of Management published a policy white paper calling for the implementation of GNH philosophy in the US and inviting scholars to build upon the GNH Index framework. ^[7]

2007
- Thailand releases Green and Happiness Index (GHI).^[8]

2009
- In the United States, the Gallup poll system launched the happiness survey collecting data on national scale.^[9] The Gallup Well-Being Index was modeled after the GNH Index framework of 2005. The Well-Being Index score is an average of six sub-indexes that measures life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors , and access to basic necessities. In October 2009, the USA scored 66.1/100.

2010
- The Center for Bhutan Studies further defined the original four pillars with greater specificity into eight general contributors to happiness—physical, mental and spiritual health; time-balance; social and community vitality; cultural vitality; education; living standards; good governance; and ecological vitality. The Bhutan GNH Index. ^[10]
- The Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative OPHI at the University of Oxford in UK, lunched the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for the United Nations Development Programme, (UNDP). Similar to the GNH Index of 2005, OPHI promotes collection and analysis of data on five dimensions including Quality of work, Empowerment, Physical safety, Ability to go about without shame, Psychological wellbeing.^[11]

2011
- UN General Assembly Resolution 65/309, titled "Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development" ^[12]
- The United Nations released the World Happiness Report
- Canadian Index of Wellbeing Network (CIW Network) releases The Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) ^[13]
- A leading Israeli newspaper Haaretz, published an article suggesting that western GDP economics is an incomplete development model and called for the adoption of Bhutan's GNH philosophy and Jones' GNH Index in Israel.^[14]

2012
- A report prepared for the US Congressman Hansen Clarke, R, Researchers Ben, Beachy and Juston Zorn, at John F. Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University, recommended that "the Congress should prescribe the broad parameters of new, carefully designed supplemental national indicators; it should launch a bipartisan commission of experts to address unresolved methodological issues, and include alternative indicators." They proposed that the government can use the survey results to see which well-being dimensions are least satisfied and which districts and demographic groups are most deficient, so as to allocate resources accordingly. The report list the Gross National Happiness Index and its seven measurement area as one of the main frameworks to consider.^[15]
- Professor Dr Peter T. Coleman, a world-renowned director of the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution at Columbia University, suggested that Jones' GNH Index initiative could inform the Global Peace Index Initiative GPI.^[16]
- South Korea launched Happiness Index citing the GNH Index framework.^[17]
- The Government of Goa, India published a strategy for socioeconomic development citing the GNH Index as a model for measuring happiness.^[18]
- The city of Seattle in Washington, launched its own happiness index initiative, emphasizing measures similar to the GNH Index.^[19]

Reception

Each year since the day's inception the charity Action for Happiness has coordinated an international campaign to coincide with day, bringing together a coalition of over 60 organisations^[20] to promote positive social action to help create a happier and more caring world. In 2015 their campaign, titled 'YOUR HAPPINESS IS PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER', focuses on the importance of human connection in the context of the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in modern societies. As well as running the official Day of Happiness website they have organised happiness flash-mobs in 12 cities across the world^[21] and promote the sharing of positive messages on social media on the hashtag #internationaldayofhappiness.

Once again, SpeakHappiness.com is offering two free workbooks to all visitors: last year's International Day of Happiness workbook, "One Day of Fluent Happiness" and this year's workbook, "Happiness in the Workplace Every Day," acknowledging that unhappy workers cost companies more than $350 Billion a year in lost productivity and seeking solutions to counter that. ^[22]

Happiness 1st Institute vows to celebrate International Happiness Day by providing free seminars with tips and tools to increase happiness and awareness of the benefits of happiness each year. Happiness 1st Institute and the International Society of Happiness Professionals challenge other happiness professionals to provide free happiness increasing and awareness information on International Happiness Day in the spirit of greater happiness for all the worlds people.^[23]

Happy Newcomer Inc. in association with The Bolivian Center for Research in Positive Psychology have organized a campaign for the International Day of happiness by developing a web portal where people can share events and activities planned for this day.^[24]
Happiness International is encouraging people to make a "Happiness Day Resolution" by choosing one action supporting their happiness to continue developing over the coming year. To help people select the best action to match their needs for happiness, they are offering free access to their science-based online Happiness Planner™.^[25]

Day of Happiness has organized their ACT campaign asking people to do three things on the International Day of Happiness: Accept the pledge, Cheer happy heroes, and Take part on the day.^[26]
The Secret Society of Happy People is offering free International Happiness Day graphics that can be shared on social networks.

To celebrate this day and every day, Marilyn Harding, author of Exhilarated Life: Happiness Ever After is giving away copies of her Happiness 11 handbook for free. Download your copy here http://www.marilynharding.com/your-free-gifts/
In Vietnam, the prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung has ordered by decree to organize the International Day of Happiness every year across the country.^[27]

Smile Happiness Day is a video made by an NGO to promote happiness and smiles around the world.

The purpose of the Day of Happiness Project ^[28] is to unite happy people of all nationalities and religions under the umbrella of the non-religious moral code outlined in The Way to Happiness booklet which includes 21 precepts like TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, LOVE AND HELP CHILDREN, SET A GOOD EXAMPLE, DO NOT HARM A PERSON OF GOOD WILL, SAFEGUARD AND IMPROVE YOUR ENVIRONMENT, TRY TO TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU and many others that will help you live a happy life. The Day of Happiness Project was founded to support the United Nations International Day of Happiness, which occurs March 20 of every year starting in 2013.

International Day of Happiness

History of Happiness Development Initiatives

Reception

See also

References

External links