Yesterday (March 20) was the “International Day of Happiness,” which was first started by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. This year it had an especially meaningful theme, “Happiness for All, Ukraine,” to help shed light on the situation in Eastern Europe and draw attention to the bravery and strength of the Ukrainian people.
“HAPPINESS FOR ALL, UKRAINE is a call to all people, all nations, and all humanity, to stand with Ukraine against Russian President Putin’s invasion and act of war against the people of Ukraine, the United Nations, and the 7.8 billion strong global human family,” UN International Day of Happiness Founder Jayme Illien said in a press release.
The Smiley Company decided to mark the occasion by projecting their signature smiley symbol on different locations across the globe, from London to Paris to of course, New York City. The company’s mission is to “spread good news to demonstrate the immense power in a smile through the spread of positivity, good news, and optimism around the world. ”
The logo was altered to show the colors of the Ukrainian flag, similar to other symbolic efforts over the last few weeks to show support including the lighting up of NYC landmarks in blue and gold.
NYC was chosen as a location for the projections because in a survey The Smiley Company conducted, 78% of New Yorkers said they “want to see more smiles in 2022.” The smiles were displayed in SoHo, Chelsea, and Midtown.
The goal of the International Day of Happiness is to “remind people around the world that actions matter, and each person can help build a more compassionate world, wherever they are.”