Sheikh Mohammed hails UAE progress on happiness programme

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, praised the progress of the UAE’s happiness and positivity programme during a meeting on Sunday. He met 60 happiness and positivity officers from federal and local organisations, as well as a group of schoolchildren who participated in a nationwide campaign to draw their vision of happiness and positivity.

Sheikh Mohammed said the stability and welfare of Emirati society is one of the government’s top priorities, reported Wam, the state news agency. "We, in the UAE, believe that people’s happiness is a renewable and sustainable asset and an indicator for a positive and coherent society," he said.

"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." Sheikh Mohammed told the happiness officers that real leaders can provide the right environment for positive energy.

"Your responsibility is to utilise the tacit knowledge of your teams and to strengthen positive interactions for all to engage in, spreading happiness and positivity," he said. Your government is relying on you to contribute in making the Emiratis the happiest people in the world." Ohood Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness, made a presentation about the campaign behind the National Programme for Happiness and Positivity. More than 2,000 children participated by drawing what represents happiness to them, and the themes from the drawings were incorporated into a programme logo.

Several Cabinet members and ministers attended the meeting on Sunday. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, tweeted about meeting seven-year-old Eva Hardie, a British pupil who has lived in Dubai her whole life. "She drew a picture about how the desert makes her happy, and we talked about our shared passion for nature," Sheikh Hamdan said.

Sheikh Mohammed said that every day "we grow more proud of the UAE children". "Happier and more positive children are capable of making a better future for their countries," he said.

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