The General Assembly on Tuesday called on United Nations Member States to undertake steps that give more importance to happiness and well-being in determining how to achieve and measure social and economic development.
In a resolution adopted without a vote, the Assembly invited countries “to pursue the elaboration of additional measures that better capture the importance of the pursuit of happiness and well-being in development with a view to guiding their public policies,” reported the UN News Center on Tuesday.
The resolution said “the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal” and embodies the spirit of the globally agreed targets known as the Millennium Development Goals.
Member States also welcomed the offer of Bhutan, which for many years has used gross national happiness rather than gross domestic product (GDP) as a marker of success, to convene a panel discussion on the theme of happiness and well-being during the Assembly’s next session, which begins in September, added the report.
The resolution notes that the GDP indicator “was not designed to and does not adequately reflect the happiness and well-being of people in a country,” and “unsustainable patterns of production and consumption can impede sustainable development.”
Meanwhile, the Assembly also adopted a resolution stressing the importance of equality among the six official UN languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
GNH is a good proposal..but where does it exist in the world????if you all are thinking its in bhutan than you are completely wrong!!!!in bhutan its GRFH, GROSS ROYAL FAFILY HAPPINESS!!!!!
Hypothesis regarding GNH may be genuine and I’m of the opinion that Bhutan should get the credit for its continuous inputs. I think every genuine Bhutanese; either from inside or outside Bhutan should contribute positively to come out in the concept formulation that is well structured and acceptable standard. At this stage many things are mixed up without clarity both in definition and understanding.
But I’ve equal concern as the government agents are propagating that Bhutan and Bhutanese people are happy, which is not. There is no healthy environment to support this claim. The social composition and the system adopted by the royalties through selective mechanism are the real barrier for the happiness to blossom in the house of common Bhutanese. Changes are inevitable, the absolute dictatorial rule has evolved to constitutional monarchy and tomorrow we expect the total democracy in Bhutan resulting in the morphological change in Bhutanese order. And I consider such system of government, when people have right to inherit irrespective of ethnicity may be safe heaven for happiness.
If criticism is bond to bind the materials, the message is well conveyed.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a wonderfulthings going to be happend in UN :The person (JIGME SINGAY WANCHUCK) who had depapulated its one sixth of total papulation of nation, introduce the GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS and try to put blindfold to world with support of international Commmunity.
How fair is this?
nice
it is a good thing
Deleting the Words, “Gross” and “National” from the “Gross National Happiness” slogan and taking only “Happiness” as a UN persuit makes sense naturally. What it means is every human being strives to be happy in life, therefore give them the freedom to do so.
It means that the happiness should not be as gross as in Bhutan where the “GNH” is used as a political tool to cover up the acts of ethnic cleansing. Bhutan should attend the UN panel discussion on “happiness” with the jewel in the lotus of its heart and listen, learn with an open mind as a true Buddhist.
It also means that the happiness of one or selected few should not come at the cost of others who are innocent majority upon whom altruisic obligation is invoked or psychologically imposed .. by binding it with the “nation” as in GNH. You cannot rise against the nation (your country,) rather you sacrifice your rights and freedoms, and bend like the grass with the wind or just act stupid and be a happy Bhutanese. This is a generously dictated happiness with vested interest. What an insult to the human intelligence! UN, common!
Dick Chhetri
@dick- do you think that the diplomats from 193 countries who have unanimously adopted Bhutan’s proposal of happiness as the ninth millennium goal, are all Shivaji who bless people who smoked marijuana? Do you think their decision is gross?. Dick, please realize that there are almost 7 billion people on earth and 99.9 percent are good people who strive to live in happiness. A mind set like yours are doomed to fail in every aspect no matter how hard you try.
We have celebrated the recognition that the international community gave our happiness philosophy. As a nation, this means lot to Bhutan. Being a small country, to assume leadership role in the international fora is a big deal and we are confident enough that we have the capability to provide with good leadership.
Thanks to all the country representatives at the UN. We salute your wise decision.
GNH concept is appreciated and welcomed by countries around the globe because of the extensive campaign done by the team of GHN in Bhutan and if this concept spreads more wildly, Noble Prize might travel to Bhutan in search of Noble Peace(Happiness) Prize.
It was long overdue. With this policy we hope there will be happiness everywhere.
Time and again I do hear that Bhutan is having acute shortage of human power at all level. The country seeks technical support from other countries to draft the national plans and other development policies. This shows that Bhutanese lack expertise in the subjective standard under the prevailing situation (we can argue).
No one so far used the ownership in the findings for the public benefits which I suppose are boarder-less. Let’s look back, the discovery of telephone brought revolution in the communication world, discovery of wheel in the similar way brought great change in the mode of human transportation, Einstein mass-energy relation and his contribution to nuclear physics needs a place, computer and IT revolutionized the globe and screwed the world, likewise it goes on and on. No one ever used such inventions, discoveries, findings, etc as British, French, German, Dutch, etc and claim the credit or campaign the world. ‘Use’ value of these priceless inputs matter more for the demand and use of such contributions.
From the dark, with the situation to cover the face from embarrassment, and to remain away from criticism from rest of the world, a fanatic king, immature, without high school diploma used the word happiness and then every member of royal families and some senior Bhutanese in power are claiming the world ‘happiness’ is Bhutanese. To counter GDP, they began using GNH. But how much did this gentleman contribute for the evolution of this theory? Had he been philosopher to happiness, what is there to design to implement the ethnic law that made homeless for 100,000 Bhutanese in the name of ethnic background and language? Does such law fall under Bhutanese model of happiness? What is the ultimate goal or object of such happiness when most are suffering and living the substandard human living? Shall we call JSW an angel of happiness or demon of cruelty or malevolent? Is there any level of shame?