Dear readers,

it is now roughly one year ago that the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 65/309. Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development.

That resolution titled “Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development”  states that
happiness is a fundamental human goal and universal aspiration; that GDP by its nature does not reflect that goal; that unsustainable patterns of production and consumption impede sustainable development; and that a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach is needed to promote sustainability, eradicate poverty, and enhance wellbeing and happiness. This is excerpted from Strategie News, which also provides links to a related website of the Bhutan government, a video presentation of Bhutan’s prime minister and to the 170-pages World Happiness Report.

Bhutan since 40 years follows a strategy to use Gross National Happiness as an indicator for the country’s well-being. Bhutan’s prime minister held a speech on Gross National Happiness at the UN General Assembly which is available at YouTube.

In August 2011, the Conference on Happiness and Economic Development was organized by the Kingdom of Bhutan, hosted by His Excellency Prime Minister Thinley and Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs from Columbia University’s Earth Institute.

This was followed by the High Level Meeting On Wellbeing And Happiness – 2. April 2012 – in New York, again co-organized with Jeffrey Sachs.

All these activities got increasing coverage by major news outlets, e.g in The Atlantic. For me, it is encouraging to see the theme of Gross National Happiness being discussed so widely.

Uli Spalthoff