International Day of Happiness: Theme, History of Happiness Day
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International Day of Happiness [20th March]
International Day of Happiness aims to make people all around the globe realize the importance of happiness in their lives. It is celebrated on 20th March every year to make people’s lives happier.
International Day of Happiness is celebrated on 20th March every year to make people stop and realize the significance of happiness in their lives. People experience grief, pain, sadness, and loss in life, but it is essential to understand that being happy can make life more meaningful. International Happiness Day is about prioritizing what brings you happiness in life.
International Day of Happiness was founded by the United Nations General Assembly on 28th June 2012. Learn more about the theme, history, significance and objectives of this day here.
What is the history of the International Day of Happiness?
The day resulted from hard work put in by World Happiness Foundation’s chairman Mr Luis Gallardo and Mr Jayme Illien, who founded “Happytalism.” They ran a campaign at the United Nations from 2006 to 2012 to adopt an International Day of Happiness.
In the year 2011, Jayme Illien proposed the concept of International Day of Happiness to promote Happiness Economics all over the globe by improving the economic development of all countries. The United Nations took the initiative of celebrating the International Day of Happiness to inform people about the importance of happiness in people’s lives and the need to incorporate happiness into public policies.
International Day of Happiness Significance
World Happiness Day holds much significance as it is a day to prioritize happiness and well-being. After accepting happiness as a fundamental goal of people, the United Nations has coordinated with Action of Happiness, a non-profit group of people from over 160 countries, to support and promote the idea of being and spreading happiness. Happinessday is another organization that aligns with the goal of spreading happiness.
The goal of these organizations is to spread light, inspiration, hope, and happiness to all who wish to live a fulfilling life. The organization selects the official theme for International Happiness Day and promotes it by providing ten steps to achieve global happiness.
How do we celebrate the International Day of Happiness?
In the year 2014, the theme of the campaign was “Reclaim Happiness.” The campaign required people to share authentic images of things that make them happy. Many fake images were in circulation in advertisements and social media.
In the year 2015, the International Day of Happiness focused on relationships. As modern society leaves more people disconnected & isolated, this day aims to bring thousands of people together and make new connections. People should connect and care about the people around them.
In recent years, United Nations General Assembly wanted the people to get together facing the problems and achieve the mission to meet a society with happiness. Some steps have been advocated to meet the goal of global happiness, such as
- Doing things that make people happy.
- Participating in and celebrating the World Happiness Contest.
- Give and spread happiness to others.
- Share the things that make people happy on social media.
- Enjoying nature.
- To celebrate.
Numerous free events such as dances, drop-ins and conferences have been organized along with community workshops, walks and social media to spread the message about “how everyone deserves to feel happy.”
International Day of Happiness: World Happiness Report
The United Nations measures the happiness of different countries with the help of the “World Happiness Report.” This report is prepared based on social, economic and environmental well-being and sets goals for countries to increase happiness. It classifies 156 countries by their happiness levels and 117 countries by the happiness of their immigrants.
The concept of International Day of Happiness believes happy people tend to live longer and have fewer health problems. The key to human wellness is strong social ties and a sense of purpose. People have recognized that progress should be increasing human happiness rather than growing the economy.
International Happiness Day – 10 Steps to Global Happiness
Happiness increases when we share it with others. The goal of World Happiness Day is to consider happiness as a fundamental right and goal for people. Along with being happy, it is important to spread happiness. For 2022, the theme was to wish happiness for Ukraine and spread awareness about them.
The United Nations has listed down some steps for World Happiness Day that can help the world achieve happiness. The ten steps to global happiness include the following:
- To spread the word about the International Day of Happiness.
- To do what makes you happy.
- To try and provide happiness to your near and dear ones and also those who need it.
- To attend the events organized for World Happiness Day during World Happiness Week.
- To celebrate the International Day of Happiness and promote it through social media.
- To share the events and information on social media using hashtags #happinessday, #choosehappiness, #createhappiness, and #Internationaldayofhappiness.
- To promote the resolution of the United Nations and spread happiness.
- To advance several global goals set by the United Nations for sustainable development.
- To enjoy nature as it imparts the calmness and freshness that minds need to be happy. It is important to go outside, connect with nature, and enjoy outdoor activities like walking, river walking, outdoor gaming, or just having a picnic.
- To adopt Happytalism – Adopt the idea of adopting holistic, equal, inclusive approaches to economic development and work towards the goals of eradicating poverty, sustainable development, and keeping health, well-being, and happiness at the centre of our life.
Q. When is the International Day of Happiness celebrated?
International Day of Happiness is celebrated on 20th March every year. This day was founded by the United Nations General Assembly to promote happiness as a global priority. This day was first celebrated around the world on 20th March 2013.
Q. Why is the International Day of Happiness celebrated?
The International Day of Happiness is celebrated to spread awareness of the importance of being happy. The United Nations founded World Happiness Day to encourage global leaders to prioritize happiness as a primary goal.
Q. How is the International Day of Happiness celebrated worldwide?
The International Day of Happiness is celebrated by engaging in activities with the theme of happiness. This includes laughter yoga, meditation, happy flash mobs, and much more.