On March 20, the United Arab Emirates joins the global community in celebrating the International Day of Happiness, underscoring its ongoing dedication to elevating the happiness and quality of life for both citizens and residents. The UAE stands among the pioneering nations that have integrated “community happiness” into various facets of government operations, using it as a fundamental metric for assessing progress and success.
The nation’s consistent top rankings in global happiness reports by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network reflect its achievements. These reports evaluate countries based on indicators such as individual income, life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, perceptions of corruption, positivity, anxiety levels, and depression rates.
This year’s celebration holds particular significance as it aligns with the UAE’s “Year of the Community,” a national initiative aimed at fostering a more joyful, stable, and prosperous society. This initiative emphasizes values of cooperation and solidarity among community members.
In recent years, the UAE has launched several government initiatives and events focused on societal happiness. In 2016, the position of Minister of State for Happiness was established, later expanded in October 2017 to Minister of State for Happiness and Quality of Life. By July 2020, the portfolio transitioned to the Ministry of Community Development.
The National Program for Happiness and Quality of Life, introduced in 2016, serves as a national charter for happiness. It has led to numerous initiatives aimed at creating a happy and productive environment within federal government offices, reflecting a commitment to fostering the happiest possible environment for society.
The UAE Cabinet approved the National Charter for Happiness and Positivity, committing the government to create an environment conducive to individual, family, and community happiness. This charter emphasizes positivity as a core value, enabling individuals to achieve their aspirations.
The government also launched the National Survey for Happiness and Positivity to measure these levels across the country, identify community priorities and sources of happiness, and establish a national database. The survey results assist federal and local government entities in developing legislation, policies, programs, and services to promote positivity and societal happiness.
Additionally, the UAE adopted the National Policy for Digital Quality of Life, providing a supportive framework for achieving a positive and safe digital community. This policy aligns with the National Strategy for Quality of Life 2031 and the UAE Centennial 2071, guiding the nation’s developmental goals toward the future.
In February 2018, the UAE joined the Global Coalition for Happiness and Quality of Life, launched with ministers from six countries: the UAE, Portugal, Costa Rica, Mexico, Kazakhstan, and Slovenia. The coalition’s inception followed the momentum generated by the Global Dialogue for Happiness and Quality of Life, held on the eve of the sixth World Government Summit.
Through these comprehensive efforts, the UAE continues to prioritize and promote the happiness and well-being of its community, reinforcing its position as a leader in fostering quality of life.
