[1][2] In 2017, the think tank's formation was announced by the Prime Minister and Vice-President of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on 20 March, the International Day of Happiness.
[6] The council issues annual Global Happiness Policy Reports during the UAE's World Government Summit.
[8] Founding members of the council are Irina Bokova, Director-General of Unesco, Alexander Stubb, former Prime Minister of Finland, Richard Layard and John F. Helliwell, editors of the World Happiness Report, Ed Diener, senior scientist with the Gallup Organisation, Martin Seligman, Director of Authentic Happiness, Aisha Bin Bishr, Director General of the Smart Dubai Office, Ahmad Al Shugairi, Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness, Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, Martine Durand, Director of Statistics and Chief Statistician at the OECD, and Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Professor of Economics at University of Oxford.
[9] In 2018, the committee was expanded to include Dasho Karma Ura, president of Centre for Bhutan Studies & GNH Research, Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, and Gus O'Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and head of the U.K. Civil Service.
Under the leadership of Her Excellency Dr. Aisha bin Bishr, Dubai aims to become the happiest city in the world.