UN celebrates first ‘International Day of Happiness'

March 28, 2013

United Nations observed first ever “International Day of Happiness” on March 20, 2013. The aim of the day is to recognize the importance of happiness as a universal objective. As UN put it, “The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal”. They encourage nations from around the globe to celebrate the day through public-awareness events and education activities.

From where did this concept come?

The idea for this day came from a Bhutanese concept, proposed by the Fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. In the 1970s, the country adopted the goal of “Gross National Happiness over Gross National Product.” The initiative takes a ‘holistic approach’ to development giving equal importance to non-economic aspects of life. Bhutan, despite its low literacy rates and life expectancy, was ranked as the 8th happiest nation in the world in 2006.

« Previous Post Next Post »