Happiness a Fundamental Human Goal for All People
Are the people of Sri Lanka happy? Most independent and non-party analysts would say a clear no. Millions of people are suffering from a lack of food, shelter, clothing, health care needs, education and other facilities. So it is clear that except for the politicians- most of whom make money illegally-and big businesses magnets, most of Sri Lanka’s people are unhappy.
Next week, the United Nations will mark international Day of Happiness. In a statement, the world body said that Happiness is a fundamental goal. The UN General Assembly recognises this goal and calls for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes happiness and well-being and environmental dimensions into policy frameworks, such as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The effectiveness of governments in upholding peace and social order, as well in the fields of taxation, legal institutions and delivery of public services, strongly correlates with average life satisfaction, the UN says.
The UN invites each person of any age,and every classroom, businesses and government to join in the celebration of the International Day of Happiness.
The UN General Assembly, in a resolution of July 12,2012, proclaimed March 20 the International Day of Happiness, recognising the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives. It also recognised the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and the well-being of all people.
The resolution was initiated by Bhutan, a country which recognised the value of national happiness over national income since the 1970s and famously adopted the goal of Gross National Happiness over Gross National Product. It also hosted a High Level Meeting on “Happiness and Well-Being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm” during sixty-sixth session of General Assembly.
Furthermore, the UN also refers to the Happy School Project of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. The Happy School Project, introduced in 2014 in Bangkok, offers an alternative approach to improving learning experiences by prioritising school happiness. By focusing on well-being, engagement, and sense of belonging at school, the Happy School Project helps foster a lifelong love of learning. In 2022, a guide and toolkit were developed. The Happy School Project is going global with its advocacy for prioritising well-being and happiness in schools, with renewed focus on bettering learning experiences. This initiative encourages education systems to place happiness at the core of their education transformation journeys and to recognise it as a means to and a goal of quality education.
Today’s education systems are challenged by a twin crisis of equity and relevance, exacerbated by long-term underfunding, disruptive changes in technology, and in many places, natural disasters, conflict and the resulting displacement of communities. The outcomes of these challenges include widespread low and unequal learning achievement, declining student and teacher well-being, rising rates of out-of- school children, school violence, learner disengagement and school dropouts, heavy workloads for teachers and students, and teacher burnout and shortages.
Worldwide, education leaders at all levels- from schools to national governments-face the daunting task of deciding how best to address these hardships amidst rising pressure on the education sector to solve societal and political problems
