International Day of Happiness
The beginning of the 21st century has consolidated happiness as a new social and political goal. A few decades ago, there was talk of the emergence of post-materialist values, among which happiness was placed once societies and groups had overcome their most materialistic forms (survival and well-being). Today we can see happiness as a value and as a goal that extends to all societies and social groups.
The UN General Assembly, through resolution 66/281 of 2012, proclaimed March 20 as the International Day of Happiness. This date was established to highlight the importance of happiness and well-being as universal aspirations of humanity, as well as the need to integrate them into government policies. Since then, the UN has published the World Happiness Report, prepared by experts, which assesses the level of happiness in 157 countries.
One of the most innovative initiatives in this area is Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH). This concept includes an index that measures the well-being and collective happiness of the population. The idea of the GNH was introduced in 1972, and in its 2008 Constitution happiness was enshrined as a fundamental objective of the government. GNH is based on four essential pillars: sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, environmental conservation, preservation and promotion of culture, and good governance.
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has been one of the most important disseminators of the idea of happiness as the aspiration of all beings. He states that the goal of life is to be happy and that all human beings equally want to have happy lives.
Both the UN declaration, the GNH, and the Dalai Lama’s proposals emphasize the social and collective dimension of Happiness. Happiness would be seen both as a result of the social and as shaping the social. Scientific studies show that relationships and interactions with others can be a source of happiness[8] and according to the Dalai Lama, happiness is found through love, compassion and closeness to others[9]. And such happiness is a source of harmony and social well-being.
The International Day of Happiness is an excellent opportunity to talk, be aware of, and enjoy happiness in times where conflict, violence and hatred (creators of suffering) have a great influence on social dynamics.
And talking about happiness takes us to the causes of happiness as antidotes to the causes of suffering. Love and harmony instead of hatred and conflict. And, in short, walking towards happiness by loving others is also a fundamental way to create better future societies, that is, more harmonious societies[10].
Perhaps it is time to strengthen and support social pathways towards happier people and societies, favoring and promoting love for others. Its power to improve social dynamics seems clear: the greater the love for others, the greater the individual and collective happiness
Full Professor at the Department of Sociology in the University of Barcelona