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Human development and achievement of a better future for humanity constitute core priorities for UAE and has always been holding a distinct weight in its strategic plans and development experience, and indeed this title was prominent during the whole sixth session of the World Government Summit. The major theme of summit's sessions, forums and workshops focused mainly on conveying a message on moving ahead with the governments' work and achieving societies' happiness. In this regard, UAE crowned this message with a pronouncement of a road map for the world's happiness, that is the "World Alliance of Happiness" which would enhance the aspirations and hopes of nations ambitious for a better future, better welfare and to achieve people's happiness.
Results
H.E. Nasser bin Thani Al Hameli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization, stated: "UAE strives to achieve happiness at the level of society in general and now aims to involve the world in this vision." He underscored that happiness targets human beings regardless their nationalities or religions and expected that the new alliance will result in positive results worldwide as it aims to make humans happy and so motivating them to work, produce be active to face challenges, given that happiness and positivity are linked to each other and two sides of the same coin.
Future
H.E. Hessa bint Essa Buhamaid, Minister of Community Development, emphasized: "In conjunction with holding the sixth session of the World Government Summit, UAE Government, under its wise leadership, has always believed that building the future of any society stems from people's happiness and based on which the mechanism of government work is translated."
"Launching the World Alliance of Happiness which aims at enhancing relationships and efforts among countries to transfer experiences and expertise in the implementation of happiness concept is an opportunity to affirm that UAE will go on with building bridges of close cooperation with all countries of the whole world to shape a world that accommodates its nations within a happier, safer and more stable environment."
"Launching such an initiative is looked at as a further achievement to be added to the history of UAE whose wise leadership has been keen since the establishment of the Union State to afford all the means that lead the country's people and society a life full of opportunities of decent life and has all happiness foundations that make them a loyal and dedicated nation to the State of happiness," said H.E. Hessa bint Essa Buhamaid.
Leadership
Bilal Al Bdour, former UAE ambassador to Jordan, stressed that launching the World Alliance of Happiness from UAE confirms the leadership and excellence of UAE in happiness portfolio and drawing a vibrant and flawless roadmap to achieve that stage. "By this, UAE set itself as a role model through a practical experience along with indicators proving its success and its role in creating a safe, satisfied, happy and proud of all the State's achievements and become the focus of all the world countries," stated he.
"UAE's civilized achievements have turned to be a role model and implemented by certain countries, including the pillar of happiness. This pillar has become a milestone in UAE's record of achievements, as well as civilization and humanity projects," said he.
The writer and researcher underlined: "Happiness pillar should be introduced in all countries' strategies just to be successful and reconciled with their people." He added: "Indeed, this trend is no longer a luxury or slogans, but it turned to be a pressing need and key prerequisite to lead a country and an indicator of its success and stability despite the fact that such a request requires the availability of other pillars, including security, stability, job and living satisfaction."
Al Bdour said: "Launching the World Alliance of Happiness during the days of the World Government Summit confirms that UAE is able to bring together the nations of the world and provide a safe and tolerant environment for them, given that UAE does host more than 200 nationalities overwhelmed by satisfaction and conviction." He went on to say: "Moreover, UAE is eligible to address all the countries of the world and call for paying more attention to the happiness of their nations based on its belief that people's happiness is a reflection of the government's outstanding performance. Also, it stems from its belief that unhappy nations are not productive and definitely will not contribute to the development, change, progress and building the countries, in addition to UAE's conviction that if people are happy, then the leadership of the country will succeed in managing its people's affairs."
He added: "UAE has the credit for launching the International Alliance of Happiness which reflects its message that intersects with the aspirations and hopes of nations eager to love, peace and happiness. It is one of the finest initiatives dedicated for the service of humankind and humanity. Indeed, we are used to see H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may Allah protect him, launching global initiatives at the World Government Summit which has become an important platform to dazzle the world with its creative initiatives enjoying the globalization nature as they are dedicated to focus on this perspective."
Practice
Ibrahim Al Abed, Advisor to the Chairman of the National Media Council, said that happiness is a way of life exemplified by UAE not only through creating the Ministry of Happiness, but also through the daily practices years ago when the UAE was founded. "The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may Allah rest his soul in peace, stated that "My mission is my people's happiness". Since then, he set up a work mechanism and opened UAE's doors for all nationalities and sects to live in UAE in peace," said he.
Al Abed added: "Calling for establishing the World Alliance of happiness is a natural outcome of this wise policy." He pointed out: "This call will inevitably eliminate terrorism and extremism and reject it worldwide, and by this UAE is deemed to be the pioneer and leader of other countries in this field.
"Happiness is linked to several themes, most importantly are the economic and social aspects and educational curricula. UAE is actually focusing on these themes through showing passion and interest in the importance of instilling, heightening and spreading the culture of tolerance and happiness," said Al Abed. He underscored: "Happiness must stem from the sustainable development of cultural and social projects. Additionally, artificial intelligence should be integrated into wisdom and culture." |
A Theme
"The role of governments in building society is closely linked to the people's happiness," said Dirar Belhoul Al Falasi, Director General of Watani Al Emarat Foundation. He added: "UAE has presented a model during the 6th session of the World Government Summit that witnessed launching the World Alliance of Happiness based on a wholly new concept that makes happiness a major theme in the relationships among nations and a tool to measure government work and its impact on people's welfare."
"Furthermore, this alliance adopts ingenious experiences in happiness as an approach of the government work in all its various sectors. This enhances aspects of giving and creativity, especially that happiness and the positive environment are closely related to increasing productivity levels and motivating employees to innovate and compete among themselves," said he. Belhoul stressed that happiness government becomes a major request for governments looking to build a better future for its people that ensures realizing the happiness of society and the superiority of its government.
"Brand"
Dr. Mohammed Murad Abdullah, Advisor to the Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security in Dubai for Visioning the Future, said: "Happiness in UAE has become more like a brand, trademark or an intellectual property belong to UAE which has already provided the world with a unique and pioneering experience in this approach or trend." He emphasized: "Other countries should make the most of this experience to reach the best levels of harmony, integrity and cohesion between the people and its government."
Dr. Abdullah stated: "International Alliance of Happiness which was announced to be established from here in UAE will have a great impact on nations and will be the major topic of their dialogues and tendencies, given that UAE government has already preceded governments of the whole world by establishing a ministry of happiness and setting up a flawless methodology, plans and programs to realize happiness in all aspects of life. This has reflected on UAE people who became the happiest people with highest levels of security, stability, satisfaction and conviction."
He expressed his optimism by this initiative as numerous countries has become members of this alliance which he is so sure "It will make a difference in the lives of people for it is a civil and humanitarian project and that happiness means satisfaction, respect for the rule of law and a sense of stability, at a time no one could deny that the sense of happiness needs fulfilling obligations by the governments that are planning to join this alliance and to adopt other methodologies and tools."
"The sense of happiness is not exclusive to rich countries! If any country has developed vibrant plans and programs to achieve happiness, this country will undoubtedly achieve it because the issue is more linked to the will of the leaders of nations and their firmness on achieving happiness for their people even if it is in the long term," added he. He concluded: "I believe this step in this direction is an achievement for countries that have an intention to adopt the happiness theme in their national agendas and strategies."
One Team
Sami Abdullah Gargash, Executive Director of the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment, said: "The alliance will lead the governments of the world to work together in the spirit of one team to create initiatives and cooperate in their implementation to make the people of the world happy. This will be a burden on the shoulders of young governments and to strive hard to make the whole world speaks on sustainable language whose major theme is happiness."
He further explained: "The Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment has its own team of happiness and a happiness champ whose task is to create initiatives to make employees happy and to examine the challenges facing achieving happiness and find innovative solutions in this area."
Vision
In his turn, Tariq Al Janahi, Deputy Executive Director of Dubai Statistics Center and CEO of Happiness and Positivity, said: "The Global Alliance reflects the vision of UAE in making humanity happy and serving the human kind, besides presenting a road map or a global framework to realize happiness in societies."
Al Janahi underlined: "UAE is the first to adopt the concept of happiness at the level of government in both words and deeds." He pointed out: "UAE has already commenced transferring this concept to the world countries and provide a valuable experience which is rich in new vocabulary formulated to make its nation happy and to be in line with visions and aspirations of other nations looking for happiness in various aspects of life." Al Janahi emphasized: "This is what history will always cherish for the UAE by being pioneer in adopting this smart step to share others its successful experiences in the field of happiness that widely acknowledged by everyone and residents and visitors of the State.
He concluded: "UAE's experience in happiness is not limited to the government work environment but exceeded that to the level of school and homes. Today, we have ambassadors of happiness and executive managers working to promote the culture of happiness in various walks of life in society."
Global Experts: A New Concept in Government Work Positively Enhances Performance
Global experts confirmed that happiness is a new concept for governments that enhances productivity and positive work and increase performance. This is definitely reflected positively on employees, clients and members of society.
Dr. Daniela Rosso, Director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology stated: "It is amazing that people think about helping others, and that these goals or desires are key indicators of performance, because simply happy people are healthy and therefore better residents of any country where they live or visiting them and surely they are more effective."
She stressed that happiness importance and of measuring it among the citizens of any country will be reflected positively on the societies. She stated: "The various programs that governments focus on achieving them aim to formulate a new future for everyone, and so that individual will have an influence on people in direct contact with him/her to be more productive and more effective. Indeed, here comes the role of the World Alliance of Happiness."
Dr. Rosso pointed out that governments should also focus on older citizens by developing new indicators for them so that they care for their lives even after retirement. She further explained: "These plans must include new goals for older people, and how to make use of their experience in fields convenient to them. Definitely, we cannot rely on the private sector only in this matter but this must be part of governments work around the world."
Chairman of Nimeo Foundation, Qian Lon Wong stressed that the concept of happiness is new to governments around the world. "Unfortunately, the vast majority of the world's population is suffering from many life-threatening psychological problems which can be resolved in a timely manner by adopting policies of happiness which countries have to adopt."
He pointed out: "The numerous problems experienced by countries of the world are resulting from the steady increase in population and levels of tension they suffer from." He explained the role of happiness to sort out this issue by saying: "Here comes the role of the principle of happiness for all by forming a special alliance for happiness of their own and a community that communicates with these governments to spread happiness." He added: "A number of emerging countries also suffer from several conflicts and wars that threaten the levels of development and economy. There should be a unified council to consider how to help them under these variables."
Jesse Boyle, President of Cracow Digital Currency Exchange, stated: "Giving people great opportunities in life is the most important step towards achieving happiness. Unquestionably, governments should give their citizens the opportunity to give more not through incessant intervention but by giving them greater freedoms since they do not hurt anyone." He stressed: "with regard to digital currencies, I hope there will not be many laws restricting dealing and trading them."
He indicated: "Governments have an immense role to play in helping small and medium-sized enterprises to grow up. Through such an assistance, the owners of these enterprises will have a new ideas to help others. Of course, this is all attributed to happiness policies adopted by governments around the world." He went on to say: "Governments need to ensure that their citizens have the right opportunities to be able to experience a happy life and then be able to give more."
A Science to be Taught
Prof. Dennis Dutty, a clinical professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University in the United States of America and founder of the Happiness Center at the University, stated: "In civilized societies, we see a large number of people who suffere from despair, sadness, and depression in conjunction with their sense of loneliness and unhappiness." He added: "Today, we are all well aware that happiness is a science taught and has its own curricula. As we are approaching this science, we have also discovered that it is unfortunate that civilized societies distance people from each other instead of bringing them together. Therefore, when we share what we have learned about happiness, this science surprises and attracts me more and more constantly. I can say that results will enable us to make people closer than ever."
He pointed out: "When people come closer to each other and develop intimacy and friendship among them, this will generate a kind of confidence and safety. Once appreciation and safety exist, many people begin to feel happy and experience psychological comfort," said he while stressing at the same time that people should know very well the fact that the social or practical status of the person is not the source of happiness. "They might contribute to it, but they are not the source of happiness. Happiness arises from within, i.e. from within the individual in his satisfaction about himself and his surroundings and the extent of his giving to others and helping them. This is indeed is what we consider the basis of happiness."
Outputs
Jihad Al Khazen, a writer in Al Hayat Newspaper, said: "I am a good observer of all the activities of the World Government Summit since its inception and I believe that its outputs should be circulated at the level of governments." He appreciated the decision to launch the World Happiness Alliance especially in countries experiencing political unrest.
He added: "The alliance will make the Summit's conclusions and outputs accessible to countries that in need for them and suffer from the rule of a dictatorship to be able to implement them." He pointed out that the Summit attracts experts with a high level of expertise and specialties in governmental areas.