VIDEO: Fourways Mall makes people happy

In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution which recognised happiness as a fundamental human goal, and International Day of Happiness born. Since, there has been a profound shift in attitudes all over the world which recognises that progress stems not from growing economies but from increasing human happiness and well-being.

Car guard Nixon Ndombe is taken by surprise when a flash mob rewards him with a gift voucher:

Last year, the theme of International Day of Happiness was to reclaim happiness from stereotypical, commercial ideas of happiness and regain something authentic and tangible.

This year, the focus of the day was on establishing human connections, since, according to the official website for International Day of Happiness, research has shown that social isolation is as potent a cause of early death as smoking, and the epidemic of loneliness is twice as deadly as obesity.

A flash mob performs the Pharrell Williams hit Happy on an escalator at Fourways Mall: 

Fourways Mall took this to heart and decided to dole out random acts of kindness. From spontaneously paying for customers’ lunches, to picking up the tab for a pensioner’s groceries and distributing flowers, balloons and stress balls to mall-goers, the shopping centre managed to touch the lives of shoppers and put a smile on everyone’s face.

Did you do anything special to establish human connections on International Day of Happiness? Let Fourways Review know by commenting below.