Why 2016 was a great year for the UAE: How UAE's pursuit of happiness became a culture

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 Why 2016 was a great year for the UAE: How UAEs pursuit of happiness became a culture
Ohoud Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of Happiness addressing the media at Office of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Emirates Towers on Wednesday 23, March, 2016.

Innovation was the name of the game for the UAE in 2016. There are many reasons to cheer the year and we have picked out 10. Part 2 of a 10-part series explores how the appointment of the UAE Minister of State for Happiness led to the launch of a number of programmes to boost positivity and happiness in the country.

By 
 Gaurav Achipalya

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Published: Thu 22 Dec 2016, 8:11 PM

Last updated: Thu 22 Dec 2016, 10:30 PM

On February 10, Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi was appointed the first-ever UAE Minister of State for Happiness. This was done to achieve the ambition of becoming one of the best countries in the world by UAE's 50th anniversary, as stipulated in the UAE Vision 2021. Since then, the Minister of State for happiness has launched several programmes to increase the happiness levels of UAE residents.
Al Roumi announced the launch of the #100daysofpositivity initiative in October during which she said: "We want to instill in kids that being positive is a habit, like brushing your teeth."
One of her biggest initiative though, came in September this year. It was of the selection of 60 Chief Happiness and Positivity Officers representing federal and local government entities. As part of the preparations to launch the Happiness and Positivity Training Programme, Al Roumi signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California - Berkley, to train the happiness officers to understand the 'science of happiness' and implement it. Al Roumi also signed an agreement with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre at Oxford University, to train the candidates on how to employ mindfulness principles to spread happiness and positivity.
"We, in the UAE, believe that people's happiness is a renewable and sustainable asset and an indicator for a positive and coherent society. We also believe that the job of any government is to level the ground for building human capital, enabling people to adapt to rapid changes and to come up with solutions to all challenges," said His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, after meeting the 60 Chief Happiness and Positivity Officers from various federal and local entities.
"What characterises the programme is that it is based on adopting the best international practices, which could position the UAE as one of the leading country in this field globally," said Dr Dacher Keltner, the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, who supervises the training course of CEOs.
Al Roumi also launched the Chief Happiness and Positivity Programme for the private sector at the first CEO Happiness Ball in October. She reiterated that the partnership and integration between the private and government sectors is essential for the UAE to become one of the best countries in the world by its 50th anniversary, as stipulated in the UAE Vision 2021.
The UAE also launched, this month, its first National Survey for Happiness and Positivity to measure people's happiness in all aspects of life. Al Roumi, said: "The initiative aims to use results, in collaboration with other ministries, to develop programmes and initiatives to be implemented in the country's policies to give a better life to the people in the UAE." For this, a sample of 14,000 people, included adults above 15, UAE nationals, foreigners, children (10-14 years old), tourists and labourers.
gaurav@khaleejtimes.com


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