Global Dialogue on Happiness concludes in Dubai

350 million people in the world are suffering from depression and thousands commit suicide every year.

The inaugural Global Dialogue on Happiness (GDH) in Dubai concluded with the 'formation of global happiness communities' on Saturday.
Addressing the delegates at the end of the forum on Saturday night, Ohood Al Roumi, the UAE Minister of State for Happiness, said: "It was through our shared knowledge and commitment that we held the most important and most critical dialogue of our times."
"We've listened to visionary and inspirational talks. We've studied the science, examined measurement tools and looked into policy implementation of happiness across the globe. We've also planted the seeds for a community of global happiness experts and scientists, which we named the Global Happiness Communities," Al Roumi added.
The delegates comprising local and international dignitaries, experts, educators and business leaders held break out sessions on happiness. They talked about various topics, including health and happiness; public policy and happiness; education and happiness; sustainability and happiness; and individual happiness.
The output of the workshops and panel discussions will be guidebook for governments to raise the standard of happiness around the world, according to organisers.
Al Roumi, the world's first happiness minister, said: "All our discussions today had one common conclusion: That happiness is not a luxury for people; happiness is a fundamental human goal."
She said happiness means people around the world want their respective governments to provide high quality education and health care. They want to feel safe and secure and they want decent jobs and housing.
"As governments, we are responsible for creating such an enabling environment that empowers our people to choose to be happy," Al Roumi said.
Looking at the region, Al Roumi said: "Conflict, instability and intolerance are on the rise, taking their toll on human welfare and growth. The prevalence of depression and anxiety among children under 19 in our region is the highest in the world. But it is because of all these misery and the conflict that happiness becomes more important at this point in time."
She underlined: "There is nothing more beautiful and rewarding than to create joy in people's hearts. The focus on universal human values such as tolerance, kindness, love, peace and respect will confront hate, conflict and disrespect."
During an earlier session in the day, Al Roumi cited studies mentioning that there are around 350 million people in the world who are suffering from depression and thousands committing suicide every year.
"This situation gets worse because of conflicts and crisis, which in 2015 has cost around $14trillion. Today, around 20 per cent of the world's population live in vulnerable conditions," Al Roumi said.
A vital challenge for governments, Al Roumi noted, is to strike a balance between economic growth and people's overall well being.
"Governments should improve the living conditions of its people. If children are well-educated; if there are good hospitals; people have jobs and they feel safe and secure; and government services make people feel hopeful- (then) these are the enabling conditions and environment that will make people live a happy life," added Al Roumi, who is also the deputy chairman of the World Government Summit organising committee.
- angel@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai