First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed has highlighted the importance of language, tradition, culture and heritage and art play an important role in the development of happiness in a country. She made the remark at the launch of the 'Happiness Index,' an initiative by the Ministry of Cities, Local Government, and Public Works to measure the happiness of Maldivians.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration initiated the process of establishing a 'Happiness Index' to measure the well-being of the people of the Maldives during the first year of his presidential term. The development of the country's 'Happiness Index' is progressing actively, with consideration given to internationally recognised 'best practice' standards.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, the First Lady emphasised that this is the first time an initiative has been launched to gauge the Happiness Index of the country. She noted that such initiatives are accepted by governments that encourage democratic principles.
In her speech, Madam Sajidha highlighted how different people define and perceive happiness, adding that there are different definitions of happiness scientifically and linguistically. She emphasised that language, tradition, culture, heritage and art play a crucial role in building happiness in a country.
“Gaining happiness through jokes, wise sayings, stories and other literary works in one’s own language is widely accepted across the world,” she stated.
The First Lady stated that the reasons for happiness include the things that facilitate a happy life. She said that the measure of happiness of a group or people includes financial prosperity, mental peace, spiritual enrichment, physical well-being, social prosperity and comfort from heritage and culture.
The First Lady highlighted that happiness is inherent to every person, and even in times of adversity, people possess a natural capacity to return to a state of happiness.
The First Lady emphasised that the concept of happiness is a compelling subject, and as Muslims, the Holy Quran guides believers to attain true peace and happiness through the remembrance of Allah, through the acceptance of life's blessings and challenges. She further highlighted that spiritual prosperity necessitates a strong relationship with the Creator and a deep commitment to upholding human values.
At the launch of the 'Happiness Index', the First Lady unveiled the official logo of the country's 'Happiness Index'. On the occasion, members from various sectors of society shared their interpretations of happiness. Senior citizens, students, widows, differently-abled individuals, and youth contributed their perspectives. Additionally, a special song made for the 'Happiness Index' was featured during the event.
The Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) has been appointed as the research partner for the project launched by the Ministry of Cities, Local Government, and Public Works to measure the happiness of Maldivians. This initiative represents the first time a project has been established to assess the nation's happiness rate, with the creation of an official framework to evaluate the well-being of the population.