Kaunas is Getting Ready to Celebrate the International Day of Happiness

Photo: A. Aleksandravičius.

On March 20, 2013, the world celebrated the annual International Day of Happiness for the very first time. A bit earlier, all 193 United Nations member states adopted a resolution calling for happiness to be given greater priority for everyone. Kaunas 2022, the team preparing for year 2022, when Kaunas will become the European Capital of Culture, have become the official ambassadors of the International Day of Happiness in Lithuania!

The team behind Kaunas 2022 firmly believe a happy city is first and foremost happy people. The important elements of everyday life as clean streets, nice buildings and safe neighbourhoods are not the only ones that actually make up one’s happiness. The atmosphere in the streets and the content of the buildings and public spaces, as well as relationships between people and their will to act, express themselves and to improve are also factors of utmost importance. Quite often, people tend to look for happiness in places that can’t provide it – endless shopping is a good example here. This means we have to not only celebrate happiness but to design it, too.

A number of institutions, private companies, organisations, communities, clubs, schools and universities have already joined the initiative and are planning events or stunts that will take place in Kaunas on March 20th. BC Žalgiris Kaunas, Kaunas airport, museums, galleries, cafes and restaurants are all taking part, which means the International Day of Happiness is one of the best days ever to visit Kaunas!

In fact, the day will start as early as 6:30AM with a free for all, open for all yoga class in the Kaunas Railway Station. The International Day of Happiness will culminate at a BC Žalgiris game against Armani Milan in Žalgirio arena, where 15000+ fans will try to break the loudness record.

Sharing, communication, moving, understanding, trying, planning, never stopping, feeling, accepting and taking part are all mottoes of March 20th – the scope is wide enough for everyone to choose what provides most happiness for him or her. It also means you should not be disappointed if you don’t find an recipe for yourself in the programme. You’re more than welcome to come up with one and share it with others.

‘Until 2022, our goal is to nurture this happy festival into a massive celebration which will be celebrated by baristas, cooks, actors, tour guides, academics, artists, doctors, public transport drivers, museum employees, businesspeople, pilots and all other residents of Kaunas and Kaunas District’, adds the team of Kaunas 2022. So, see you in Kaunas on March 20th, if not in 2018, then in 2019 and beyond.

More happy vibes: kaunas2022.eu 

Information: www.visit.kaunas.lt