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Urban transformation program

Designing cities where people flourish.

As urban areas grow, integrated well-being becomes urgent. Cities of Happiness is a new frontier: safe, inclusive, and sustainable urban communities designed to nurture people, empower organizations, and regenerate the planet.

What is it?

An urban transformation model driven by the WHF.

Cities of Happiness helps cities make well-being and happiness a measurable, systematic, and sustainable public policy.

"A city is not only connected by technology — it is connected by compassion."

Well-being, sustainability & culture

Improve well-being, sustainability, and culture in the city.

Citizen happiness & engagement

Promote citizen happiness, wellbeing, and civic engagement.

Broader social & environmental impact

Contribute to broader environmental and social impact initiatives.

Framework

People, cities & planet — the Wheel of Happiness.

Cities of Happiness uses the Wheel of Happiness to guide transformation across 9 dimensions, grounded in the SDGs and well-being science.

City leadersCitizensInstitutionsSchoolsCommunity

Case studies · Cities in motion

Three cities, one movement

Las Rozas, Pinecrest and Mendoza are three living examples of what happens when cities commit to well-being as public policy — each at a different stage of the same journey.

Las Rozas Well-Being Hub

In development · WHF × Ayuntamiento de Las Rozas

Las Rozas Well-Being Hub

Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain

A civic well-being hub co-designed with the City of Las Rozas: an ecosystem of programs across the 9 dimensions of happiness — from schools and workplaces to public spaces, cultural life, and green infrastructure — anchoring Las Rozas as a European reference for conscious cities.

  • Hub blueprint across the 9 dimensions of the Wheel of Happiness
  • Programs for citizens, families, schools, workplaces & seniors
  • Public well-being indicators aligned to SDGs 3 & 11
Open the Las Rozas Well-Being Hub blueprint
Pinecrest, Miami

Active partnership · Global model city

Pinecrest, Miami

Village of Pinecrest, Florida — USA

Pinecrest is a working reference for the Cities of Happiness model: a partnership with the Village that translates well-being science into local governance, cultural programming, and community rituals — and the anchor city for the World Happiness Fest in Miami.

  • City-level well-being governance & indicators
  • Community rituals, arts and inter-generational programs
  • Host city for the World Happiness Fest, Miami editions
Read: Pinecrest — a global model for Cities of Happiness
Mendoza

Living lab · Latin America hub

Mendoza

Mendoza, Argentina

Mendoza became the first Latin American City of Happiness declared during the World Happiness Fest 2025, mobilising government, universities, artists and citizens around a shared well-being agenda — and opening a regional pathway now travelling to Córdoba and beyond.

  • First Latin American City of Happiness declaration (2025)
  • Cross-sector alliance: government, academia, artists, citizens
  • Regional pathway now expanding to Córdoba, Argentina
Read: Mendoza's moment of joy — WHF 2025 Read: Córdoba's turn — regenerative happiness

Also on the map

Cities joining the network

Granada (Spain)

Antigua (Guatemala)

Córdoba (Argentina)

How it works

Join the movement in four steps

  1. 01

    Diagnosis

    Community-based happiness and well-being assessment. Evaluation of the environment. Focus groups gather key information.

  2. 02

    Strategic plan

    Co-creation of strategic plans with local governments and residents. Diagnostic report, customized program, self-sustainability strategies.

  3. 03

    Implementation

    Initiatives across the 9 dimensions with expert guidance. Ongoing training and a platform of tools for city leaders.

  4. 04

    Measurement & Certification

    Evaluation every 3–6 months against key indicators. Ongoing certification as a City of Happiness.

Why become a City of Happiness

Happier, healthier citizens

Cities that prioritize well-being experience lower stress levels and greater social cohesion (World Happiness Report).

Sustainable urban development

Conscious planning enables greener, more inclusive, resilient urban spaces — advancing SDG 3 and SDG 11.

Global network & recognition

Position your city as a pioneering model — and join a network of 10,000+ people in 450+ cities.

Voices from the programmes

What Happytalistas say after walking the path.

Validated words from coaches, professionals and Chief Well-Being Officers who have taken part in our programmes, Fests and retreats.

  • Before engaging with the World Happiness Foundation, I often treated well-being as something separate from performance. The program helped me see that people do their best work when meaning, trust, and humanity are built into the way we lead. That insight changed both my coaching conversations and the results my clients pursue.

    Executive Coach|United States

  • GGH helped me connect dots I had previously treated as separate: personal awareness, team culture, organizational design, and social impact. Seeing the whole system changed the way I diagnose challenges and the kind of solutions I am willing to build.

    Organizational Strategist|Belgium

  • The Foundation gave me language for something I had felt for years: real transformation begins inside, but it cannot end there. I now help leaders connect personal awareness with the cultures and communities they influence. My work feels deeper, more courageous, and more useful.

    Leadership Coach|Canada

  • The program moved happiness from the edge of my leadership agenda to the center of how I think about progress. I began evaluating decisions not only by what they deliver, but by the human experience they create along the way.

    Senior Leader|Austria

  • I came looking for new coaching tools and found a much larger invitation - to accompany people toward lives of purpose, connection, and contribution. The program expanded my practice while reminding me why I became a coach in the first place.

    Professional Coach|Mexico

  • GGH gave me a coherent framework for work that had sometimes felt fragmented. I can now help clients connect individual practices with leadership behavior, cultural conditions, and measurable organizational priorities. The result is a more credible and lasting approach.

    Well-Being Consultant|Czechia

Authorized testimonials, published as given in English.

Let's co-create happier cities

Mayors, planners, educators, innovators & citizens — join the movement.

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