International Day of Happiness: Measuring well-being through open data

The International Day of Happiness, observed each year on Thursday, 20 March, highlights happiness and well-being as universal human goals. Established by the United Nations, the day encourages governments, organisations, and citizens to reflect on how social, economic, and environmental factors shape quality of life. Across Europe, this conversation increasingly relies on data to understand what well-being means in practice and how it can be improved. 

At a global level, initiatives such as the World Happiness Report bring together data from more than 140 countries to explore trends in life satisfaction, trust, health, and social connections. Published annually to mark the International Day of Happiness, the report shows how evidence-based insights can inform public debate and policy decisions around well-being. The result is a clearer understanding of well-being trends across countries and over time. 

But how do we actually move from personal feelings to shared understanding? On the European Data Portal, users can explore a wide range of open datasets related to this day, using search terms such as quality of life, life satisfaction, subjective well-being, mental health, social cohesion, and social capital. These include regional quality-of-life surveys, national happiness indicators, mental health statistics, and studies on community participation and trust. By making this data openly available, public authorities enable comparison, reuse, and evidence-based decision-making across Europe. 

This International Day of Happiness, explore the data behind well-being. Browse open datasets on the European Data Portal that help explore happiness and quality of life across Europe. Together, open data and shared action can help create a happier Europe! 

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