The UAE is celebrating the International Day of Happiness today (March 20) — a day that is marked by the establishment of the World Happiness Council by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Amal Al Qubaisi, Speaker of FNC, said: “The concept of happiness is manifested in the vision of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan who gives citizens’ happiness top priority and considers it a sustainable goal.”

She said the UAE’s wise leadership has never spared effort to promote happiness and establish its foundations to ensure the happiness and welfare of its people who became the happiness in the world.

Al Qubaisi stressed that the key goal sought after by UAE’s leadership, government and the FNC is to make the UAE people happy, and highlighted that the UAE is a leading player in promoting positive values and the spirit of optimism and happiness among citizens, residents and visitors from around the world. She underlined the importance of the National Happiness and Positivity programme as a roadmap that supports government agencies in developing their programmes and projects to meet the guidance and visions of the leadership.

Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, said: “The concept of happiness is not new to the UAE, whose prudent wise leadership has long sought to bring happiness to everyone living in the UAE and provide them with a decent life. All government policies, programmes and services must contribute to a positive and happy society, industry and the government’s job is to create an appropriate environment for the happiness of individuals, families and staff and consolidate positivity as a fundamental value in the UAE society.

Commenting on the Happiness Day, Noora Mohammad Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Federal National Council (FNC), said: “The promotion of the causes of happiness in our society has become an established approach and is inspiring part of the directives of our wise leadership and government strategies.”

“Happiness and positivity in the UAE are no longer luxury but are a fundamental goal that the UAE government seeks to inculcate in Emirati citizens, and referred to Shaikh Mohammad’s book “Reflections on Happiness and Positivity” in which he puts forward his innovative vision that forms a genuine and clear approach and a lifestyle enjoyed by all members of the Emirati society,” Al Kaabi said.

Dr Abdullah Mohammad Bel Haif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development, said: “The UAE, under the leadership of Shaikh Khalifa and his brother, Shaikh Mohammad, as well as the [Their Highnesses] Rulers of the Emirates, continues with its plans of development to achieve the happiness of the Emirati community. These considerable efforts resulted in the UAE’s advanced ranks globally in World Happiness Index.”

He pointed out that the UAE has established a new model for government work based on the values of happiness and tolerance — a model that looks ahead to achieve the desired happiness of citizens and residents in the country. The minister explained that making customers happy has become a target by all institutions and government agencies in compatibility with the approaches of the wise leadership that have developed plans and indicators that are being implemented in all ministries to make both the customers and staff and community members happy

source : gulfnews