Media Center

The government's policies, programmes and services should contribute towards building a positive and happy community, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said.

Sheikh Mohammed said the government's main task is to ensure that conditions are conducive for delivering happiness to individuals, families and employees and promoting positivity as a core value in the local community.

Sheikh Mohammed made the remarks while reviewing the National Programme for Happiness and Positivity which was presented by Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness, today in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future.

The programme features a set of three initiatives in main areas: happiness in policies, programmes and services of all government entities and work environment; promotion of values of positivity and happiness as a lifestyle in the UAE community and development of innovative benchmarks and mechanisms for measuring happiness in the community.

Al Roumi was the first minister whose 100-day work plan was reviewed by the Vice President. Sheikh Mohammed, during the first meeting of the newly-reshuffled Cabinet, had asked the ministers to present a 100-day work plan, especially the new ministries and those which had many changes.

"Our aim is to make happiness a lifestyle in the UAE community as well as the noble goal and supreme objective of the government," said Sheikh Mohammad, underscoring the importance of creating positive environment for all government employees and instilling values of positivity in all ministries and government entities. Policies, programmes, services and work environment in ministries, he emphasised, should focus on happiness and enhance joint coordination with the private sector to achieve this target.

He also recognised the need for accurately measuring happiness among members of the community, as per the aspirations of each category and its present and future requirements.

Sheikh Mohammed also emphasised the importance of listening to ideas, proposals and opinions of individuals and corporations regarding happiness and positivity.

Al Roumi spoke about the key pillars and components of the programme which seeks to align government policies, programmes and legislation to deliver happiness and positivity in the community and encourage government and private sectors to launch, recommend and adopt initiatives in that regard.

Under the national plan for happiness, a charter for happiness and positivity will be unveiled and a guide for customers' happiness and key performance indexes will be developed.

The plan will include initiatives for publishing scientific and cultural contents and books on happiness and for encouraging reading in the area of raising awareness about the importance of positivity and happiness as a way of an integrated lifestyle.