Academics from all over the world are invited to send us their papers and to engage in creative discussions on the challenging concept of Gross National Happiness, as well as on similar efforts to shape policy development. In more general terms I propose to organize our exchanges in three parallel streams: Global Standards and Local Diversity, including the underlying values that define our standards. Social Transformation, addressing happiness as a public good and as an impulse for social change. And Inner Transformation, an issue increasingly drawing attention of academic researchers, sometimes leading to pertinent questions about our scientific paradigms.

Photo: Assoc. Prof. Anuchat Poungsomlee, Mahidol University; Chairman Academic Committee 3rd International Conference on Gross National Happiness.