Pharrell Williams Tells the World: A Happy Planet = Happy People

In a year when the world is coming together to support a new set of global goals – the most comprehensive attempt in history to fight poverty and create prosperity while protecting people and the planet – Pharrell Williams is partnering with the United Nations Foundation, with support from Google, to move people to take action on the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness on Friday, March 20, with an emphasis on reaching out to young people and engaging them on the issue of climate change.

Taking the day to a new and global level, they will mobilize people around the world to stand in solidarity with those already feeling the effects of climate change, and urge world leaders to take climate action now to build a better world and a happy planet.

“2015 is a critical year of opportunity for global action to achieve the future we want. For health and economic development – for the happiness of every person – we must use smart new ways to address climate change,” said Kathy Calvin, President and CEO of the UN Foundation. “The UN Foundation is proud to join forces with Pharrell to support United Nations efforts for a better world.”

“In a year where there is so much turmoil in the world, from social conflict to climate change, we need moments to stop and celebrate happiness,” said Pharrell Williams. “Protecting our planet is fundamental to the pursuit of human happiness and that is why we have chosen to support Live Earth’s movement to raise a billion voices for climate action. We believe that happiness can change the world.”

Happy planet = happy people

To protect people, we need to protect our planet. Climate change is a threat to many of life’s basic needs: water, food, shelter, and safety. When those needs are not met, economic, social and environmental crises get worse.

This year, the world has an opportunity to reach a new global agreement to take action on climate change. For the UN’s International Day of Happiness, Pharrell and the UN Foundation are driving supporters to sign the Live Earth petition, bringing together 1 billion voices with one message: Take climate action now! Sign the petition urging world leaders to commit to tackling climate change by adopting a new global agreement on climate at the summit in Paris this December.

Convening digitally via the world’s largest online ‘Happy Party’

Pharrell is inviting people around the globe to come together in an innovative way by joining the world’s largest “Happy Party,” raising awareness together and demanding climate action. Starting March 17, people around the world can join the Global Happy Party at www.globalhappyparty.com by uploading photos of themselves that will be transformed into an animated dancing image to the tune of Grammy award-winning song “Happy.” Using Google Maps technology, people will be able to see participation and encourage others to join across the globe and to sign the Live Earth climate petition. Follow the hashtags #happyday and #happyplanet

Other supporters of the 2015 United Nations International Day of Happiness:

• Pandora: Pandora (NYSE: P), the leading internet radio service, is partnering with Pharrell Williams to help raise awareness of the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness. Pharrell is curating an exclusive mixtape, featuring artists as diverse as Daft Punk, Bjork, Michael Jackson, U2, and Weezer. Listen HERE. While they are listening, Pandora listeners will be able to link to “Pharrell’s Happy Party” and upload “happy” images of themselves, essentially creating one massive, festive GIF.
• Empire State Building- On behalf of the United Nations Foundation, Pharrell Williams will light the Empire State Building yellow on Friday, March 20, at 2:00 p.m. in a special ceremony honoring the International Day of Happiness. Joining Pharrell Williams will be Aaron Sherinian from UN Foundation, Kevin Wall and Aaron Grosky from Live Earth, as well as a representative from the United Nations. The Empire State Building will light up the skies from sunset on March 20 until 2:00 a.m. on March 21 to promote happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of people across the world.
• National Geographic Kids: National Geographic Kids is celebrating International Day of Happiness with a photo challenge on its MyShot kids photography community. Budding photographers are encouraged to take a picture of what makes them happy and tag it #happy. Pharrell Williams will pick his favorite image and it will be published in a fall issue of National Geographic Kids magazine. Kids are also encouraged to take a pledge to make the planet happy by visiting the National Geographic Kids Happy Page at: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/100-things-to-make-you-happy/.
• 100 Happy Days: Can the world be happy for 100 days in a row? 100happydays and the United Nations Foundation encourage every person to find happiness in their daily life during the 100 day marathon in all 193 countries starting on March 20. To participate, share a picture of what makes you happy with #happyday and #100happydays hashtags for 100 days. Watch happiness taking over the world at http://world.100happydays.com and get inspired with what makes the world and each participating country happier. At the end of the challenge, 100 most inspirational happiness stories will be collected into a book available for donations to the UN Foundation and 100happydays Foundation.
• Mix Radio: A host of global superstars have teamed up with the United Nations and with the support of music streaming service MixRadio have launched the #HappySoundsLike campaign, marking and raising awareness of International Day of Happiness. Recognizing that music has the power to inspire hope for a better tomorrow, international artists including Ed Sheeran, Paloma Faith, AR Rahman, David Guetta, Rita Ora, Cody Simpson and John Legend have contributed the track that makes them happiest to create the international and inspirational playlist #HappySoundsLike. Fans are also asked to share the track, idea or thought that makes them happiest with the hashtag #HappySoundsLike.

United Nations’ International Day of Happiness

In 2012, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed March 20 the International Day of Happiness, recognizing the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world, and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon underscored the centrality of happiness through his powerful message: “Happiness may have different meanings for different people. But we can all agree that it means working to end conflict, poverty and other unfortunate conditions in which so many of our fellow human beings live. The pursuit of happiness lies at the core of human endeavors.”

For more information on the 2015 International Day of Happiness go to www.globalhappyparty.com or follow the hashtags #happyday and #happyplanet.

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About the UN Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. For more information go to www.unfoundation.org

About Pharrell Williams

Redefining cool for a new generation, Pharrell Williams is a creative force, using music, fashion, and design to express his distinctive style. From his beginnings as a teenage prodigy and multi-instrumentalist in Virginia Beach back in the early ’90s, through enough hits to earn him Billboard’s Producer of the Decade in 2010, to his current status as multi-media superstar, Williams has never stopped creating. Starting his producing career as one half of The Neptunes with Chad Hugo, Williams has helped create such classics as Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” Jay-Z’s “I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me),” Britney Spears’s “I’m A Slave 4 U,” and Justin Timberlake’s “Like I Love You.” With over 100 million copies of his productions sold, his music sounds like something no one else has thought of just yet. He’s also created a new way of looking at established stars like Snoop Dogg, Madonna, and even the Rolling Stones. Over four albums, Williams and Hugo along with Shae Haley created an unpredictable hybrid as part of the alt-rock/hip-hop group N.E.R.D. The music industry has honored Pharrell with 10 Grammy Awards (including 2004’s and 2014’s “Producer of the Year”) and ASCAP’s prestigious Golden Note Award in 2012. He also received a 2014 Academy Award Nomination for his original song “Happy” featured in the animated film Despicable Me 2. “Happy” remained atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart for ten consecutive weeks, peaked at #1 on iTunes in 103 markets worldwide, and is the lead single off of his new album “G I R L.” Pharrell’s second solo album “G I R L” was released on March 3, 2014 to rave reviews. His prolific body of work also ranges from designing a sculpture with Tokyo-born artist Takashi Murakami to accessories and jewelry for luxury goods brand Louis Vuitton, to t-shirts for Japanese mega-brand Uniqlo, to adidas sportswear and to the forthcoming perfume collaboration with Comme des Garcons. Pharrell’s work in the humanitarian field is an extension of his humble success. In 2008, he founded From One Hand To AnOTHER (FOHTA), a foundation focused on supporting the Pharrell Williams Resource Centers’ learning programs for underserved youth in at risk communities across the nation. This past March Pharrell partnered with the United Nations Foundation to celebrate the International Day of Happiness inspiring individuals all over the globe to demonstrate their unique “happy.” Now, with his latest venture i am OTHER — a multi-media creative collective that serves as an umbrella for all his endeavors, including Billionaire Boys Club & ICECREAM apparel, textile company Bionic Yarn and a dedicated YouTube channel — Williams’s vision continues to push pop culture forward. Pharrell recently completed a 23-date “Dear G I R L” tour across Europe, and can currently be seen as a coach on Season 8 of “The Voice.”

About Live Earth

On June 18, 2015, together with Former Vice President Al Gore, the United Nations and creative partner Pharrell Willliams, Live Earth will once again create a global series of events anchored from Paris and New York. Live Earth will bring together a billion voices to shine a global spotlight on the nations convening in Paris this year and deliver a single message to all leaders: Take Climate Action Now! Live Earth is being produced by Control Room which has produced and distributed live music concerts across the internet, radio, television and mobile platforms, giving once in a lifetime experiences. For more information about Live Earth, please visit LiveEarth.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and join the conversation with the hashtag #LiveEarth.