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Welcome to The World Happiness Foundation’s Public Policy Forum

"We need to work together at a systemic level to create the necessary change"

Growing inequalities, lost diversity, pandemics, and climate change are only some of the serious challenges facing humanity in the coming decades. All of these crises are interconnected and we cannot confront them in isolation. Our current economic systems are failing to foster a productive and healthy balance between societal, individual, and environmental needs and goals.

That is why we support the leaders from governments and organizations that are disrupting current systems by implementing new policies and initiatives that are advancing the dialogue on creating economies of happiness and well-being for all.

In Partnership with the United Nations University for Peace

The Foundation stewards two UN resolutions:

The Foundation specifically stewards two UN resolutions:

UN RESOLUTION 65/309

Happiness: Towards a Holistic Approach to Development

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UN RESOLUTION 66/281

International Day
of Happiness

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We Support Global Political Initiatives

All of our work supports the UN Global Compact and many of the Sustainable Development Goals

We bring together the world leaders and experts on Public Policy across multiple disciplines such as Health Care, Education, Environment, Economy, Psychology, Business, Research, Statistics, and the United Nations 2030 agenda to breakdown silos and to improve the overall happiness and well-being of all beings.

We bring a holistic approach incorporating view from the leading institutions and the professionals behind the latest research and policies around the world.

We help advance the dialogue on Public Policy towards an Economy of Happiness and Well-Being.

GLOBAL HAPPINESS AND WELL-BEING POLICY REPORT

The 2019 Global Happiness and Well-Being Policy Report is produced by the Global Happiness Council (GHC) and contains papers by expert working groups on happiness for good governance. This report provides evidence and policy recommendations on best practices to promote happiness and well-being. The 2019 Global Happiness and Well-Being Policy Report was presented at World Government Summit held in Dubai on February 10, 2019.

WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT

The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. The report is produced by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network in partnership with the Ernesto Illy Foundation. The World Happiness Report was written by a group of independent experts acting in their personal capacities. Any views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization, agency or program of the United Nations.

OECD BETTER LIFE INDEX

How is LIFE? There is more to life than the cold numbers of GDP and economic statistics – This Index allows you to compare well-being across countries, based on 11 topics the OECD has identified as essential, in the areas of material living conditions and quality of life.

HAPPY PLANET INDEX

The Happy Planet Index measures what matters: sustainable wellbeing for all. It tells us how well nations are doing at achieving long, happy, sustainable lives. Wealthy Western countries, often seen as the standard of success, do not rank highly on the Happy Planet Index. Instead, several countries in Latin America and the Asia Pacific region lead the way by achieving high life expectancy and wellbeing with much smaller Ecological Footprints. The Happy Planet Index provides a compass to guide nations, and shows that it is possible to live good lives without costing the Earth.

Join our World Happiness & Well-Being Public Policy Forum at the World Happiness Fest.

Gross National Happiness, or GNH, is a holistic and sustainable approach to development, which balances material and non-material values with the conviction that humans want to search for happiness. The objective of GNH is to achieve a balanced development in all facets of life that are essential; for our happiness.

We are in the age of the Anthropocene when the fate of the planet and all life is within the power of mankind. Boundless consumerism, widening socio-economic inequality and instability is causing rapid natura resource depletion and degradation. Climate change, species extinction, multiple crises, growing insecurity, instability and conflicts are not only diminishing our well-being but are also threatening our very survival.

Today, it is inconceivable for modern society to function without the business of commerce, finance, industry or trade. These very factors are altering human destiny by the day in extraordinary ways, both positive and negative. GNH directly addresses such global, national and individual challenges by pointing to the non-material roots of well-being and offering ways to balance and satisfy the dual needs of the human being within the limits of what nature can provide on a sustainable basis.

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The Economy of Happiness and Well-Being

We support the emergence of new economic paradigms

Growing inequalities, lost diversity, pandemics, and climate change are only some of the serious challenges that humanity faces in the coming decades. All of these crises are interconnected, and we cannot confront them in isolation. Our current economic systems are not designed to deliver a balanced approach to social and environmental initiatives. World Happiness Foundation Founder, Luis Gallardo addresses these issues in his report on The Economy of Happiness and Well-Being.

An economy is a collection of norms and rules that reward certain behaviors and punish others. The economies of the 21st century destroy natural wealth, degrade communal bonds, and incentivize overconsumption. This is how our economies have evolved to function, which also means that we can change them and evolve in new directions. It is time we think about how.

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Happytalism, Key to (Re)connection

Meta Pets System by Luis Miguel Gallardo

From “Who Am I?” to a Happier World: A PhD Student’s Journey in Self-Inquiry and Non-Duality

Luis Gallardo

Embarking on Inner and Outer Exploration I am at the very beginning of my PhD journey in self-deconstruction and non-duality, a path that intertwines rigorous inquiry with deep personal reflection. As I set out, I find myself guided by a simple yet profound question from the Indian sage Ramana Maharshi: “Who am I?”. This inquiry into the nature of the self isn’t just an academic curiosity – it feels like the key to unlocking both personal freedom and a new vision for global well-being. My heart resonates with Ramana’s teaching that our true Self and happiness are intimately connected: “Happiness is the very nature of the Self; happiness and the Self are not different”. If that is true, then understanding who and what we really are might be the doorway to lasting inner peace. In this article, I reflect on Ramana Maharshi’s core teachings about the self and happiness, and explore how inner freedom gained through self-inquiry could ripple outward into world happiness. I’ll also introduce my own emerging framework – the Meta Pets system, which uses cosmic

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Meta Pets Constellation

Exposomics, Ethics, and Happytalism: A Moonshot for Global Flourishing

Luis Gallardo

A New Frontier at the Intersection of Science and Well-Being When I was invited to join the Steering Committee of the Exposome Moonshot Forum, I felt a surge of hope and responsibility. Here was a gathering devoted to one of the most ambitious scientific frontiers of our time – exposomics – and its potential to transform human well-being. As someone devoted to spreading global happiness, I see exposomics as more than a breakthrough in biomedical science. It is a beacon of possibility at the intersection of ethics, global governance, and our collective quest for flourishing. In this op-ed, I want to share a vision of how decoding the “exposome” can help humanity prevent suffering, reduce inequality, and create the conditions for 10 Billion Happy by 2050, fulfilling the mission of Happytalism and the World Happiness Foundation. Understanding the Exposome: Our Environment Written in Biology What exactly is the exposome? In simple terms, the exposome is everything our bodies are exposed to throughout our lives, from conception to old age. If the human genome is our biological blueprint, the

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Luis Miguel Gallardo Smart Cities

From Smart Cities to Cities of Happiness: Bridging Data and Well-Being

Luis Gallardo

Cities around the world are undergoing a digital transformation in pursuit of efficiency and sustainability. The Smart City model leverages data, technology, and innovation to improve urban management – making everyday life easier and better for residents. But beyond smart infrastructure and high-tech dashboards lies a deeper goal: ensuring citizens are truly happy and healthy in their communities. This article explores how smart cities can evolve into “Cities of Happiness” by integrating well-being, community engagement, mental health, sustainability, and inclusivity into their development. We will look at Pinecrest (a village in Miami) as a pioneering example with its 2024 Cities of Happiness report, and consider how global smart city networks – including insights from the Smart Cities event in Curitiba, Brazil – can incorporate happiness indicators into their planning. In doing so, we suggest ways city leaders, technologists, and citizens can collaborate to balance technology-driven innovation with human-centered goals, using co-creation and bottom-up engagement to build smarter and happier cities. Smart Cities and the Pursuit of Better Urban Living A “smart city” is commonly defined by its use

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World Happiness Foundation Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 - IRS BMF 509(a)(2) - (incorporated in Florida, USA. 10275 Collins Avenue. 33154

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