UAE Ministry of Finance celebrates International Day of Happiness

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) organised an internal initiative titled "The Ministry of Finance, the happiest ministry." As part of the National Happiness and Positivity Programme, MoF held a ceremony on March 20 and 21 at its premises in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which coincided with the International Day of Happiness.

A number of officials, department heads and ministry employees attended the celebration. They took part in a wide range of social, recreational, and health-related activities, aimed at strengthening positive communication by encouraging teamwork, and enhancing trust and positivity amongst each other.

HE Mariam Mohammad Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Management of Financial Resources, stressed the Ministry’s commitment to fulfilling the National Happiness and Positivity Programme by establishing a happy and positive work environment for its employees. This goes in line with the belief that a happy employee is more efficient and productive at work. This, in turn, reflects positively on the happiness of customers, consequently achieving the Ministry’s objective to provide its clients with the best innovative services.

HE said: “MoF continues to support the government's efforts to increase the UAE's ranking in the World Happiness Report, and to contribute to achieving the objectives of the happiness journey, organised by the National Happiness and Positivity Programme. The launch of "The Ministry of Finance, the happiest ministry" initiative is pivotal to establishing clear criteria that measure employee and customer happiness, and reinforce happiness and positivity in the Ministry’s work environment and the UAE community.”

MoF carried out a number of activities prior to the International Day of Happiness, which were part of the "Awareness of happiness and quality of life" initiative. The event included preparing booklets to raise awareness on the quality of life, sending out electronic bulletins to promote happiness and positivity, and holding a series of workshops that endorse a culture of happiness.

The first workshop entitled "Personal Happiness" was aimed at enhancing employee happiness and spreading positive values, which are a key component of excellence and creativity at work and in life. The second workshop entitled "Self-Development" focused on raising awareness of self-development on a technical, organisational, goal-setting and decision-making level.