United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched a new campaign telling stories of people of Turkey who were empowered by projects supported by UNDP, whose lives changed, who diffused such positive impact around and supported other people. The campaign titled “Happiness Is” is composed of six short films that remind us that focusing on what makes people happy could lead us to a better world.

What humans live by? How important is happiness in human life? How do we become happy? How can we contribute to others living more happily? Answers to such questions since ancient times may seem simple but are indeed different for everyone.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in  Turkey which works for decent, better life for all and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, tells stories of six people whose lives are touched by UNDP’s activities in Turkey, in its new campaign “Happiness Is”.

Six short films tell the stories of people of Turkey who were empowered by projects supported by UNDP, whose lives changed, who diffused such positive impact around and supported other people: Barış Yüksel from Antalya, Nimet Taş from Kilis, Nurettin Kılıç from Mardin, Rabia Aydemir from Isparta, Şirin Muhammed from Istanbul and Ulaş Tepe from Ordu.

At the end of each short film, we hear their responses to the question “What is happiness to you?”

With this campaign aiming at questioning how we can create the conditions necessary for people to be happy, the relation between the contribution of UNDP-supported work and happiness of people is investigated. In addition, it is aimed to remind that paying attention to people’s happiness and its determinants may guide us towards sustainable development and lead us to a world of happier and healthier people.

Highlighting the importance of focusing on happiness in development interventions, Achim Steiner, the Administrator of UNDP says, “This year, the Human Development Report will paint a detailed picture of inequality, with new data that will go further beyond income and averages. If we want to understand how we progress, why we sometimes fail, and, ultimately improve the quality of all our lives, then the pursuit of happiness may offer an answer”, in an article he penned earlier this year.

#HappinessIs #BenceMutluluk

happinessis.undp.org.tr * bencemutluluk.undp.org.tr

BARIŞ YÜKSEL

Mr. Barış Yüksel of Demre set out with fellow villagers to preserve the assets of his village and share them with guests with support from “Future is in Tourism” project; and over the years, they built a role-model break at the Lycian Way.

A Historical Break on the Lycian Way Project is supported by “Future is in Tourism” implemented with partnership of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Anadolu Efes.

What is happiness for Barış Yüksel? View video to find out.

NİMET TAŞ

Ms. Nimet Taş has been working as the manager in charge for 20 years at Kilis Multi-Purpose Community Centre (ÇATOM), where Social Cohesion between Syrian and Host Communities through Women’s Empowerment Project is implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with GAP Regional Development Administration.

What is happiness for Nimet Taş? View video to find out.

NURETTİN KILIÇ

A lawyer registered with Mardin Bar Association, Mr. Nurettin Kılıç improved his work on disadvantaged groups after he participated in the training organised under "Support to the Improvement of Legal Aid Practices for Access to Justice for All in Turkey (SILA) Project".

SILA Project is implemented by the Union of the Turkish Bar Associations, the Ministry of Justice and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

What is happiness for Nurettin Kılıç? View video to find out.

RABİA AYDEMİR

Ms. Rabia Aydemir is the President of Lavender Scented Village Women Entrepreneurs Cooperative at Kuyucak village that transformed into the “Lavender Scented Village” of Turkey with support from “Future is in Tourism”.

Lavender Scented Village Project is supported by “Future is in Tourism” implemented with partnership of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Anadolu Efes.

What is happiness for Rabia Aydemir? View video to find out.

ŞİRİN MUHAMMED

Ms. Şirin Muhammed, a Syrian of age 28, mother of three, has been learning Turkish since March 2019 at the Public Education Centre in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul.

The “Adult Language Training Component” of the Turkey Resilience Project in Response to the Syria Crisis (TRP) is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the General Directorate of Lifelong Learning of the Turkish Ministry of National Education and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

What is happiness for Şirin Muhammed? View video to find out.

ULAŞ TEPE

Having worked as a volunteer trainer in “I Can Manage My Money” project which is implemented by Habitat Association in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Visa Turkey, Mr. Ulaş Tepe, 29, serves as the Mayor of Gülyalı district of Ordu today.

What is happiness for Ulaş Tepe? View video to find out.