20.03.2016 - The International Day of Happiness falls on March 20.

According to the 2016 World Happiness Report, Denmark is the happiest country in the world. As a region, Western Europe scored an average of 6.575 out of 10, behind North America (7.125) and Latin America and the Caribbean (6.578).

The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness. The World Happiness Report 2016 Update ranks 157 countries by their happiness levels and asks people to rate the quality of their lives on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 representing the best possible life and 0 the worst. It was released on 16 March in Rome in advance of World Happiness Day. The first report was released in 2012.

The World’s 10 Happiest Countries

1. Denmark

2. Switzerland

3. Iceland

4. Norway

5. Finland

6. Canada

7. Netherlands

8. New Zealand

9. Australia

10. Sweden

The report found that levels of social support and freedom to make life choices correlated more strongly with levels of happiness than level of income measured in terms of GDP per capita. There is notable inequality between countries with GDP per capita 25 times higher in the top 10 than in the bottom 10 countries.

Make the Angry Birds happy – take climate action!

This year, the International Day of Happiness focuses on the relationship between having a healthy planet and our happiness. The International Day of Happiness campaign entitled "Angry Birds for a Happy Planet" was launched on Friday, 18 March at UN Headquarters with an event focused on Sustainable Development Goal 13 – urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

The campaign aims to help the world go green by encouraging young people to take simple actions to protect people and the planet. For example, it highlights issues such as food waste with the slogan - "Food Belongs in Bellies, Not Trash Bins"

On 20th March, Red, the star of Angry Birds, will start a world tour to raise awareness of how you can take climate action. His tour will end on 22nd April in New York, where world leaders will gather at the UN Headquarters to sign the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Visit the Angry Birds Website, and find the event in your closest city.

Spread the word on social media with #AngryBirdsHappyPlanet 

You can also take part in the International Day of Happiness by taking the happiness pledge and downloading the free Happiness Guidebook to create a happier life for you and those around you.

In conjunction with United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Foundation and The Angry Birds Movie

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UNRICs Related Links

· World Happiness Report 2016

· Sustainable Development Goals 

·  International Day of Happiness 2016