Dubai: Around eight in 10 Dubai residents currently consider themselves happy, and an overwhelming majority believe that they will still be happy five years from now.
Some 83 per cent of the people of Dubai are happy today while 95 per cent predict that they will be happy in the future, according to a study released by the Smart Dubai Office at the first meeting of the ‘Happiness Champions’ for the Smart Dubai Happiness Agenda.
“The Happiness Snapshot is the next step in our continual efforts to discover and measure people’s happiness. We will use this data to achieve our vision for 95 per cent happiness in Dubai by 2021, in line with the directive of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,” Dr Aisha Bin Bishr, director-general of the Smart Dubai Office, said.
“In Dubai, we believe that happiness can be achieved; that happiness can be measured, and that we can aid our leadership to positively impact happiness for the city, through science and technology.”
The survey had 2,000 respondents across the city and was held over the summer. No other details were released, however, on the demographics of the respondents and how the survey was conducted.
According to Bin Bishr, city leaders will use the data to guide them in their decision-making on new projects and positively influence the happiness of people in Dubai.
“The Happiness Snapshot supports the Smart Dubai Happiness Agenda to discover and create a common definition for happiness in Dubai, with a scientific framework to measure and impact happiness in our unique cultural landscape,” Bin Bishr said.
Representatives from 13 government entities and the Smart Dubai Office gathered at Al Serkal Avenue in Dubai for an interactive workshop to introduce the Happiness Champions to the Agenda, and inspire a creative dialogue on activities government entities can adopt to promote happiness through a scientific framework.
During the workshop Bin Bishr said that the city must unite to accomplish this vision.
“The Happiness Agenda is a global game-changer for Dubai, and our Happiness Champions are on the frontlines of this initiative,” Bin Bishr said.
Happiness Champions representing the Roads and Transit Authority, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Customs, Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Culture, Dubai Trade, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, Dubai Department of Economic Development, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Tourism, and Dubai Courts participated in the first workshop.
The Smart Dubai Happiness Agenda aims to guide Dubai’s smart city transformation to positively impact happiness in Dubai through a science-backed and methodical approach to discover, change, educate and measure happiness for the city.
