happy5BThere are a few things in this world that are truly global: One of them is that people want to be happy. Thursday, March 20 is the International Day of Happiness, and the United Nations Foundation and Grammy Award-winning musician Pharrell Williams have teamed up to encourage people to take action to support the UN and to create a happier world for people everywhere.

You can join in by donating to UN humanitarian efforts, which provide critical aid to families affected by natural disasters and conflict. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said, “The pursuit of happiness lies at the core of human endeavors. People around the world aspire to lead happy and fulfilling lives free from fear and want…” Every dollar makes a difference to families in their times of need.

And stay tuned to 24hoursofhappiness.com on March 20 when Pharrell will share some of the best video submissions he received of people showing their happiness to his chart-topping song, “Happy,” and will encourage people to support humanitarian relief efforts around the world.

Here is one of our favorite videos from the Philippines that shows the power of the human spirit:



In the meantime, here are five of our favorite happiness quotes to inspire you to act for a happier world.

1. “We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.” – Anne Frank

2.  “The happiness of any society begins with the well-being of the families that live in it.” – former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan

3. “It all comes to this: the simplest way to be happy is to do good.” – Helen Keller

4. “The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the best out of everything that comes their way.” – Unknown

5. “The root of happiness is altruism – the wish to be of service to others.” – the Dalai Lama

Follow @unfoundation on Twitter to learn more about how you can support the UN and help build a better world.