International day of happiness
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has, in consensus on June 28, adopted resolution to celebrate International Day of Happiness, henceforth, on 20 March every year.
A statement released on June 28 reads, “International Day of Happiness is a movement to promote happiness as a universal goal and aspiration in the lives of human beings around the world.”
A coalition led by Dr. Hamid Al-Bayati Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations, the International Day of Happiness was created in the spirit of the initiatives and other ongoing efforts of the President of the General Assembly, Nassir Abdulaziz Al- Nasser, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and other UN member states.
In April, at high level meetings addressing “Happiness and Well-being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm” convened by the government of Bhutan, PGA Nassir stated that, “It is imperative that we build a new creative guiding vision for sustainability and our future, one that will bring a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach that will promote sustainability, eradicate poverty and enhance well-being and happiness.”
The Secretary General remarked that, “We need a new economic paradigm that recognizes the parity between the three pillars of sustainable development. Social, economic, and environmental well-being are indivisible. Together they define gross global happiness.”
The International Day of Happiness also recognizes and captures the spirit of the efforts of other nations and groups who have begun to explore various ways to measure prosperity that go beyond material wealth initiated and championed by Bhutan.
Each year, on March 20, a universal phenomenon occurs. The sun is on the same plane as the earth’s equator so that day and night are of equal length, creating balance in the earth’s celestial coordinate systems. It will be an annual global day of awareness and activities that will drive increasing levels of connectivity, education and action based programs.