Spread Happiness, all over!

 

International Day of Happiness 2022 / 20 March / Article

Spread Happiness, all over!

Fr Dr M. D. Thomas

Director, Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi

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‘International Day of Happiness’ is celebrated on the 20th day of March. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 June 2012. The day aims to make people around the world realize the importance of happiness in public policies and practices as well as within their lives.

 

The United Nations organized the first ever conference on ‘Happiness and wellbeing’ in 2012. It was then that it was decreed that ‘International Day of Happiness’ will be observed every year. It was first celebrated in 2013, as well.

 

The General Assembly of the United Nations has thus invited its Member States and organizations to observe the day. It has invited all international, regional and national organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil society and individuals to fall in suit.

 

The fact that all 193 member states of the United Nations have opted for ‘International Day of Happiness’ underlines the worldwide importance of happiness. The member states have adopted a resolution calling for happiness to be given greater priority, as well.

 

To peep in to the history, a little more, on 19 July 2011, the United Nations General Assembly had passed a resolution ‘Happiness: Toward a Holistic Approach to Growth’. This was an initiative of Jigme Thinley, the then Prime Minister of Bhutan, a country that has famously pursued the target of ‘Gross National Happiness’ since the 1970s.

 

The idea of International Day of Happiness was proposed at the United Nations General Assembly by Jayme Illien, in 2011. He was founder of ‘Happytalism’ and was supported by Luis Gallardo, President of the World Happiness Foundation.

 

Jayme Illien had run a campaign at the United Nations from 2006 to 2012, to encourage and advance the primacy of happiness, well-being and democracy. He wanted the United Nations General Assembly to promote ‘happiness economics’ around the world, by improving the economic development of all countries.

 

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2011, which recognized then ‘happiness’ as a ‘fundamental human goal’. It also called for a ‘more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth, which promotes the happiness and wellbeing of all peoples’.

In 2015, the United Nations launched 17 Sustainable Development Goals to make the lives of the people happier still. Eradicating poverty, reducing inequality and protecting our planet are the main development goals. Engaging with the system of education and with activities that contribute raising public awareness was considered in a major way, too.  

The United Nations General Assembly placed a great emphasis on the ‘little things that make people happier and more fulfilled in life’. Doing things that make you happy, spreading happiness to others and enjoying the nature around you are a few of such little things that are of great importance.  

The word ‘happiness’ comes from the Old Norse term ‘happ’ meaning ‘luck’ or ‘chance’. ‘Happiness’ is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment and fulfillment. ‘Happiness’ is a positive feeling that emerges from enjoying one’s own company and from living in harmony and peace, in body, mind and spirit.

Good quality relationships are vital to happiness. Making gratefulness a habit, repairing torn relationships and spending time with loved ones are a few of the tips for enhancing the degree of happiness in relationships. Social networking is another way to connect with others.

Happiness is a universal aspiration in the lives of all. Happiness is a way of being and a way of living. Serving individuals, communities, governments and society brings happiness. Happiness is a divine quality, well, the best quality the humans can have. Happiness is one of the best gifts that you can give to others and to the world.

It can be observed without difficulty that a profound shift in attitudes is underway, all over the world. A large number of people tend to recognize that ‘progress’ should be about increasing human happiness and wellbeing and not just growing the economy.

 

Our happiness is part of something bigger. We are a social species. We thrive when we are connected to others. The modern society leaves out more and more people feeling disconnected, isolated and lonely. This cannot be justified, in any way.  

Dr Mark Williamson says, “The world is a better place when we connect with and care about the people around us”. Happiness is a ‘new paradigm’ for human development. Happiness is a path toward achieving the sustainable development goals, too.

Commercial images are not going to make us happy, in a lasting way. Social images have to take the place of commercial images. More often than not, material things are fake images of happiness. Being happy contributes to a healthy lifestyle. It reduces stress and pain, boosts up the immune system and protects general wellbeing.

Our happiness does not depend on others. It is in our own hands. We require learning ways and means of remaining happy, in spite of all odds in life. Besides, those people in our communities who do so much to bring happiness to others are really ‘happy heroes’. They are our role models, who should boost us up.

As per the ‘World happiness Index 2021’, published by.’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network to the United Nations, Finland stands as the happiest country in the world. Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland follow Finland in being happy. Afghanistan is ranked the saddest country in the world. India has secured the rank 139, a sharp collapse of 25% from 111 in 2013.

Friends, what is happening to our dear country? Why are we Indians unhappy, and even unhappier, that too, to this extent? No doubt, there is a steady increase in the overall scientific development in India. But, there is a sharp collapse of happiness, due to the shrinking of the social space.

Well, friends, the communal divide, the discrimination, the manipulation, the atrocities, the hate speeches, the lies, the rapes, and the like, have to be watched over. Individual happiness alone will not suffice. Social happiness is required, too. Material development alone is not enough. Ethical and spiritual development is needed, and even much more.    

On the occasion of ‘International Day of Happiness 2022’, it is time for the humans, in India and world over, to resolve to learn to be remaining happy in life, at any cost. We need to take the responsibility of being happy ourselves and making others happy. May our country and the larger society keep becoming happier and happier and give honour to the divine power thus! 

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The author is Director, Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi, and has been committed to cross-cultural perspectives, cross-scriptural values, constitutional values, interfaith relations, communal harmony, national integration and social wellbeing, for the past over 40 years. He contributes to the above cause through lectures, articles, video messages, conferences, social interactions, views at TV channels, and the like.

He could be viewed, listened to and contacted at the following portals – websites ‘www.mdthomas.in’ (p), ‘https://mdthomas.academia.edu’ (p), ‘https://drmdthomas.blogspot.com’(p) and ‘www.ihpsindia.org’ (o); social media ‘https://www.youtube.com/InstituteofHarmonyandPeaceStudies’ (o), ‘https://twitter.com/mdthomas53’ (p), ‘https://www.facebook.com/mdthomas53’ (p); email ‘mdthomas53@gmail.com’ (p) and telephone 9810535378 (p).