Happy Cities Summit | Living cities Earth

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim of human existence… and we are the masters of our own happiness”

Aristotle

The research conducted by our experts in 2020-2022 among thousands of citizens across all social groups confirms that most people desire to be happy and to live in cities and communities that are happy and thriving.

But how this could be accomplished?

And who is responsible and capable of creating happy life and happy cities?

If you as a city leader want your city to be happy - what path could you follow?

Come to learn, share and connect with other likeminded city leaders from around the world at the HAPPY CITIES, a Global Living Cities Summit that takes place online and worldwide on June 21-24, 2023!

SOLSTICE - A SYMBOL OF FLOURISHING AND COOPERATION

We start this beautiful global gathering on June 21 - as the world celebrates summer Solstice, a symbol of unity and flourishing, peace and cooperation.

June 21 is recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of the Solstice. This day also symbolizes the fertility of Earth and plays an important role in strengthening ties between peoples.

And, as you know, according to the longest study of human happiness and well-being in history recently presented by our colleagues at Harvard University the quality of relationships with other people is the #1 factor defining our degree of happiness.

And this is what cities are in their essence - the web of relationships!

HAPPY CITIES MARATHON - FROM EARTH DAY TO SOLSTICE TO EQUINOX!

In April 2023 we started exploring the theme of happy cities at the Earth Day Summit “Living Cities - Happy Planet” that united 92 world-class speakers and experts as well as city leaders from 154 cities and 45 countries.

On the Solstice day we launch Happy Cities Marathon to go together, hand in hand as we discover theory and practice of happiness and well-being in the cities.

Special events will run for 92 days till the autumn equinox on September 21 when we start our next Global Happy Cities Summit to review our first results and recharge our batteries on the path towards 1000+ Happy Cities. Join the challenge!

Prog

Program

CREATE YOUR ROADMAP TO A HAPPY CITY

We start this special day with Happiness & Peace Meditation, and continue with a series of panel discussions featuring 20+ world-class experts and leaders who will share their insights, approaches, case studies and personal experiences on the topic of “How to help people in 1000+ cities on Earth become masters of their happiness?”

Together, we will take a systemic integral approach and discover answers to how to create more happiness, success and abundance for each person, our families, organizations, communities and cities (a hint: happy people tend to be more successful!).

As a result of the day, you will expand your worldview, learn from other people’s experiences and could also create your own road map to a Happy City.

You will also understand how to improve the well-being of your city and how to engage residents, businesses and communities in joint activities for the benefit of your city.

Finally, at this session, you will also learn about a calendar of events for the Happy Cities Marathon, designed to provide knowledge, tools, know-how, support and other key resources for the city leaders to create a global vibrant web of partnerships and to bring happiness and flourishing to 1000+ cities of the world.

PROGRAM - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21

Watch the recording

16.30 CEST

A warm welcome for all guests and a presentation of the LCE approach

17.00 CEST

A Solstice Meditation with Sue Cooper

17.30 CEST

A plenary session with LCE action leaders and world-class experts on the topic: How people in 10 000 cities on Earth could become masters of their happiness? How could we increase happiness - in ourselves, our families, organizations and communities, our cities and on our beautiful planet?”

Alexander Laszlo, Alexandra Dobrynina, Sue Cooper, Wendy Ellyatt, Eric Kohner, Ferial Puren, Yuko Kudo, Pooran Desai, Marilyn Hamilton, Lev Gordon, Marina Demchenko

19.30 CEST

Q&A session and presentation of a calendar of events of the Happy Cities Marathon from Solstice to Equinox

FUTURE LEADERS
A special session for the leaders of tomorrow

• Are you between 12 and 25 years old?*

• What is the purpose of your life?

• What does the future hold?

• What does it mean to be a leader?

• Would you like to be a leader of tomorrow?

• Are you interested in making your city (and our planet) a happier place?

• Where do you find inspiration, energy and knowledge to change things for the better?

This special session is offered as a gift to all the young leaders who will accept responsibility for their lives and this planet in the coming years.

Who are you:

Young leaders (school, college and university students) who dream of making their life, their city and the world around them better - more alive, vibrant, inspiring, empowering, equitable and full of opportunities to develop and realize one’s talents.

Together with the renowned leaders and world-class experts from 5 continents we will hear stories and review key areas that future leaders need to master.

We call them “Life Skills for Leaders of Tomorrow”.

PROGRAM - FRIDAY, JUNE 23

Watch the recording

15.00 CEST (Amsterdam time)
Warm Welcome and Overview

15.30 CEST

Story Barn: “Stories about Leaders”

Experienced leaders share personal stories about their life and leadership in early years, inspiring stories about other young and experienced leaders

16.00 CEST

Open Mic: ”Genesis of Future Leaders"

Speakers and selected participants share their approaches, practices and programs for developing Future Leaders

16.30 CEST

“Future Leaders for 1000+ Happy Cities”

Open workshop

What program do we create to grow Future Leaders in 1000+ Happy Cities?

17.30 CEST

Summary and next steps

***

You will also have a chance to learn about FUTURE LEADERS - a free global online Summer Camp for young leaders from 1000+ cities worldwide in July-August 2023.

This groundbreaking program is organized by Living Cities Earth Association (Zurich, Switzerland) with support from its distinguished partners, including Learning Planet Institute (Paris, France), Empowerment Institute (New York, USA), Global Education Futures (Amsterdam, Netherlands) and many others.

As part of Summer Camp you will learn about key themes:

Global trends / Life’s Purpose and Self-realization / Self-knowledge and self-regulation / Healing and Cleaning Up / Productive Relationships / Effective Communications / Leadership / Project management / Team management / Community development / Career management / Social entrepreneurship / Impact / Integral City Development

As a result of Summer Camp you will gain:

A clear understanding of your further development. Knowledge and tools to make your life and your city more vibrant and happy. How to find like-minded people, how to build teams and work with communities. How to interact with other groups in the city: civil managers, social activists, politicians, entrepreneurs. How to be a leader of tomorrow.

Find your purpose! Make your mark! Enjoy life! Be the future!

* - Everyone is most welcome to join this session, yet the Summer Camp is offered primarily to leaders who are between 12 and 25 years old.

OUR PATH TO 1000+ HAPPY CITIES

A special program about win-win-win partnership for global and regional leaders.

Are you a leader of a global/regional community, project or initiative?
Do you make this world a better place?
Do you like to play win-win-win?
Have you heard about our “1000+ Happy Cities” project?
Would you qualify to join as a partner in our global action ecosystem?

We welcome global and regional leaders of positive change, leaders of global and regional communities - bold integrators, connectors of resources and opportunities, willing to unite leaders, communities, cities and countries for a thriving planet Earth!

Come and join other like-minded leaders of positive change who drive social and ecological impact globally and locally - to learn from each other, to discover how we could win-win-win together and to join the global action ecosystem of Living Cities Earth.

Speakers (TBC): Alexander Laszlo (Buenos Aires – San Francisco – Fribourg), Marilyn Hamilton (Findhorn), Tim Olsson (Stockholm – Cape town), Wendy Ellyatt (London), Anneloes Smitsman (Port Louis – Wijchen), Frank Suffert (Berlin), Marina Demchenko (Rostov-on-Don), Sonya Elterman (Berlin), Ivan Vyrypaev (Warsaw), Anne-Marie Voorhoeve (Vreeland), Olivier Brechard (Paris), Violeta Bulc (Liubliana - Brussels), Pooran Desai (Brighton - London), Pavel Luksha (Amsterdam), Lev Gordon (Seattle), Ferial Purel (Edinburgh), et al.

PROGRAM - SATURDAY, JUNE 24

Watch the recording

15.00 CEST

Warm welcome and program overview

15.30 CEST

Story Barn: “Stories from Happy Cities”
Speakers share personal stories about happy cities

16.00 CEST

Open Mic: "Who we are and What we do?"
Internal and external institutional partners share specifics on their organizations, professional intro

16.30 CEST

“How could we create 1000+ Happy Cities together?”, open workshop
How could we create a global action ecosystem?

17.30 CEST

Summary and next steps

HAPPY CITY: LOVE, UNITY AND PEACE
A joint plenary session with the World Unity Week - 2023

Are you a leader of positive change?
Do you believe in the creative power of love?
Are you interested in making your city and our planet a happy place?

By pure chance or perhaps for a reason in 2023 the World Unity Week is taking place simultaneously with the Global Happy Cities Summit - where leaders of positive change from 100 countries are invited to share stories, create common vision and launch a global movement to create 1000 happy cities for the sake of all life on Earth.

Is your city, your community, your home a happy place?
Would you like to learn about success stories and challenges other people have faced as well as to discover the framework of integral happiness and how you could join the movement to journey to Happy City together?

Meet some of the world-class experts and action leaders who represent the largest integral city development community on our planet - Living Cities Earth - and see for yourself that there is a better future and a clear path to it.

Based on our practical experiences, we believe that this path starts from discovering the infinite power we have within ourselves and then through communication and collaboration it leads to happy thriving living cities, communities, families and Happy Earth.

Join Marilyn Hamilton, PhD, Alexander Laszlo, PhD, Robert Fisher, MD, and other world-class experts and action leaders from Living Cities Earth on this special day!

Watch the recording

Speakers and Experts

Marilyn Hamilton

Findhorn, Scotland (UK)

Alexander Laszlo

Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Guy Eames

London (UK)

View all

Reg

Join us!

Our amazing partners