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Topic hub · 26 essays

Community, Agoras & Belonging

Agoras, circles, and the practice of belonging across cultures.

From the essays

"I am writing this from Zaragoza, Spain. It is early morning. The Ebro is doing what the Ebro always does — moving quietly, indifferently, magnificently past everything that city life insists is urgent. There is a man fishing on the bank who has been there, I suspect, for hours. He is not catching an"
What If We Measured What Matters? Gross Global Happiness, the Economy of Belonging, and the Civilization We Are Still Brave Enough to Build · Luis Miguel Gallardo
"There is a moment, familiar to anyone who has sat in a hospital waiting room, passed through an anonymous city corridor, or watched a child stare into a phone screen during recess, when you feel the weight of a world that has perfected proximity while forgetting presence. We have never been more con"
The Belonging Revolution. How Schools, Cities, and Hospitals of Happiness Are Rebuilding the Architecture of Human Connection · Luis Miguel Gallardo
"We are living through a time when pain is increasingly visible—socially, politically, economically, emotionally, and spiritually. And yet, beneath the headlines and the narratives that divide us, there is a deeper truth that many of us recognize in silence: We all suffer. And we can heal. From the W"
Dialogues for Fundamental Peace: Collective Healing Starts with Venezuela · Luis Miguel Gallardo

All essays in this hub

What If We Measured What Matters? Gross Global Happiness, the Economy of Belonging, and the Civilization We Are Still Brave Enough to Build

What If We Measured What Matters? Gross Global Happiness, the Economy of Belonging, and the Civilization We Are Still Brave Enough to Build

I am writing this from Zaragoza, Spain. It is early morning. The Ebro is doing what the Ebro always does — moving quietly, indifferently, magnificently past everything that city life insists is urgent. There is a man fishing on the bank who has been there, I suspect, for hours. He is not catching an

February 20, 2026

The Belonging Revolution. How Schools, Cities, and Hospitals of Happiness Are Rebuilding the Architecture of Human Connection

The Belonging Revolution. How Schools, Cities, and Hospitals of Happiness Are Rebuilding the Architecture of Human Connection

There is a moment, familiar to anyone who has sat in a hospital waiting room, passed through an anonymous city corridor, or watched a child stare into a phone screen during recess, when you feel the weight of a world that has perfected proximity while forgetting presence. We have never been more con

February 19, 2026

Dialogues for Fundamental Peace: Collective Healing Starts with Venezuela

Dialogues for Fundamental Peace: Collective Healing Starts with Venezuela

We are living through a time when pain is increasingly visible—socially, politically, economically, emotionally, and spiritually. And yet, beneath the headlines and the narratives that divide us, there is a deeper truth that many of us recognize in silence: We all suffer. And we can heal. From the W

January 11, 2026

The Dark Side of Belonging: How Soul Groups and Survival Instincts Shape Genocide

The Dark Side of Belonging: How Soul Groups and Survival Instincts Shape Genocide

Dedication To all victims and survivors of terror, genocide, and systemic violence: This work is dedicated to your courage, your pain, and your unbreakable spirit. May the memory of those lost never be erased, and may the voices of those who survived be honored as sacred teachers of truth. Your suff

September 18, 2025

World Happiness Foundation Position on SDG 17: Global Unity and Collective Action

World Happiness Foundation Position on SDG 17: Global Unity and Collective Action

Fostering a Global Family United by Abundance and Purpose. At the World Happiness Foundation, we envision Goal 17 not merely as “partnerships for the goals,” but as a profound call for global unity and collective action grounded in an abundance mindset. In this reframing, every person becomes a stak

August 21, 2025

From War Heroes to Love Makers: A Call for a New Paradigm of Leadership and Community

From War Heroes to Love Makers: A Call for a New Paradigm of Leadership and Community

Across the globe, cycles of despair are perpetuated not only by nations in conflict but by cartels, gangs, criminal societies, media glorification of violence, and the unchecked power of dictators and narcissistic leaders. These individuals and systems manipulate, exploit, and dominate, embedding ha

December 29, 2024

Collective Trauma and Healing: A Call for Support in the Wake of DANA in Valencia, Spain

Collective Trauma and Healing: A Call for Support in the Wake of DANA in Valencia, Spain

The impact of DANA has brought a profound collective trauma to the people of Valencia and Spain, leaving emotional, psychological, and spiritual scars that reach far beyond individual experiences. In response, the World Happiness Foundation, in collaboration with a dedicated team of mental health pr

November 3, 2024

The Mental Roots of Poverty, Suffering, and Global Division: Healing Our Minds for Collective Peace and World Happiness

The Mental Roots of Poverty, Suffering, and Global Division: Healing Our Minds for Collective Peace and World Happiness

For centuries, human suffering has been attributed to external conditions—poverty, inequality, and oppression. Today, we witness these same issues on a magnified scale, intertwined with unprecedented global challenges such as climate change, racial injustice, geopolitical divides, and rising levels

October 27, 2024

Connecting the Eight Dimensions of Well-Being to Regenerative and Conscious Leadership

Connecting the Eight Dimensions of Well-Being to Regenerative and Conscious Leadership

Embracing the ROUSER Model In today's rapidly evolving world, the traditional paradigms of leadership are being redefined. The complexities of global challenges—ranging from environmental crises to social inequalities—demand a new breed of leaders who are not only effective in their roles but also c

September 28, 2024

Dissolving Anger and Fear: Uncovering Subconscious Beliefs for Collective Healing

Dissolving Anger and Fear: Uncovering Subconscious Beliefs for Collective Healing

STOP VIOLENCE We are constantly exposed to the injustices and unfairness unfolding around the world, in an era marked by rapid globalization and hyper connectivity. This relentless exposure can fuel collective feelings of anger and fear, emotions that, if left unchecked, can perpetuate cycles of vio

September 28, 2024

A Deep Reflection on Connection: I Could Not Feel, So I Tried to Touch

A Deep Reflection on Connection: I Could Not Feel, So I Tried to Touch

The statement "I could not feel, so I tried to touch" resonates deeply with those of us who have walked the path of disconnection. It's a cry from within when emotions are too overwhelming or perhaps too distant to comprehend, so we reach out externally, seeking something tangible, a sensation to re

September 15, 2024

2024: The Pillars of Happiness: Connection, Health, and Freedom

2024: The Pillars of Happiness: Connection, Health, and Freedom

The State of World Happiness from the perspective of the World Happiness Fest 2024 participants. Co-created with PlayVerto Introduction: Our 2024 survey of participants at the World Happiness Fest held in Europe, Spain, Granada and North America, Miami, USA, reveals that the cornerstones of happines

July 15, 2024

Embracing Lokahi: Connecting Sacred Hawaiian Wisdom to Universal Happiness

Embracing Lokahi: Connecting Sacred Hawaiian Wisdom to Universal Happiness

In the rich tapestry of Hawaiian culture, the concept of lokahi holds a central place. Lokahi, meaning harmony and unity, emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things—people, nature, and the spiritual realm. This sacred wisdom invites us to live in balance and harmony, fostering a deep sense of c

June 8, 2024

The Path to Gross Global Happiness: Self-Discovery and Collective Responsibility

The Path to Gross Global Happiness: Self-Discovery and Collective Responsibility

Understanding Happiness: A Definition Rooted in Self-Discovery Happiness, often sought yet frequently misunderstood, transcends mere emotion or fleeting states of mind. At its core, true happiness involves a deep acknowledgment of our authentic selves—a profound journey into self-consciousness, self

May 1, 2024

World Happiness Fest 2024 in Miami: Embracing Open Space Technology, Circles, and a Coaching Mindset

World Happiness Fest 2024 in Miami: Embracing Open Space Technology, Circles, and a Coaching Mindset

The World Happiness Fest 2024, taking place in Miami, stands as a beacon of innovation and collaboration in the realm of global well-being and consciousness. With a theme focused on "Creating and Integrating New Narratives for Rising," the festival is poised to be a groundbreaking event, where diver

January 20, 2024

Web3 – Community, Ownership, Decentralization, Utility

Web3 – Community, Ownership, Decentralization, Utility

The increasing dominance of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies has facilitated the rise of Web3, powered by decentralized networks. Designed to restore power to its users, this game-changing movement is signaling a paradigm shift in how we use the internet. What is Web3? Also known as Web 3.

April 13, 2022

The future of education and leadership: How to connect

The future of education and leadership: How to connect

Lobsang Phuntsok is a former Buddhist monk. Founder and Director of the Jhamtse Gatsal Children's Community, which offers a new perspective on education system. He is also the protagonist in the movie "Tashi and the Monk" Are we ready to reimagine our labors and rethink our thinking about their educ

March 16, 2022

Collective Healing as a Rope Team

Collective Healing as a Rope Team

Every successful individual knows that his or her achievement depends on a community of persons working together. – Paul Ryan A man who came from nothing to something without the help of a single person is an interesting story, however, it is precisely that – a story. In reality, there is not a sing

January 28, 2022

Community of the Year – Nursing and Caregivers Community

Community of the Year – Nursing and Caregivers Community

'Take care.' How often have you used this expression? The coronavirus pandemic has created such unprecedented circumstances affecting everything and everyone, so much so that suddenly, this common expression started having a much deeper meaning. As the virus continues to spread, much has changed, in

January 6, 2022

From Separation to Reconnection. Happytalism.

From Separation to Reconnection. Happytalism.

In 1997, right after their civil war, I came to Bosnia and Herzegovina as an International Observer with the OSCE/UN. Back then, I was a recent master's graduate in Peace Studies with a newly written thesis about the need for the 'Fulfillment of Our Identity to Solve Conflicts". So, there I was, at

December 26, 2021

The BEST tips for sharing, belonging and resilience

The BEST tips for sharing, belonging and resilience

Nina Hersher – Emotional Wellbeing in the digital Era Hello there! So I'm excited to be teaching you all just some kind of tips on how we can be healthy tech versus anti tech. Digital wellness is the optimum state of health and wellbeing that each individual using technology is capable of achieving.

December 1, 2021

Happy brain: Connect with your inner mammal

Happy brain: Connect with your inner mammal

Loretta Breuning is the founder of The Inner Mammal Institute. She holds a PhD in Psychology and has studied it form a biological perspective. She is the author of “Habits of a Happy Brain”, “The Science of Positivity”, among others, and Professor Emerita of Management at California State University

November 17, 2021

Unlocking the Power of Belonging

Unlocking the Power of Belonging

When we unlock the power of belonging, we reach the ultimate form of freedom – freedom from having to change to be accepted and being appreciated and respected for being just who we are. Just by looking around yourself, it’s impossible not to notice the importance of social interactions and belongin

September 19, 2021

The Connection between Employee Well-being, Productivity, and Firm Performance

The Connection between Employee Well-being, Productivity, and Firm Performance

The well-being of employees is confident in itself, but most employers want to know if there are any benefits connected to it – benefits that will serve the employees’ productivity and the performance of the firm. All of this is due to the apparent fact that improving the well-being of employees is

September 2, 2021

The Importance of Reconnection for Girls

The Importance of Reconnection for Girls

"To love your authentic self is to surrender to this idea that who you are is already whole and complete." The reconnection to oneself is a vital part of mental health and well-being. But first, let me explain what reconnection is. Reconnection is the process of getting out of the negative feeling o

August 31, 2021

Happytalism, Key to Reconnection

Happytalism, Key to Reconnection

Why is Happytalism key to reconnection? We live in a divided world. And not just politically. The world economy is creating winners and losers, with no clear way to prosperity for millions of people. The last couple of decades have produced great inequality of wealth and, with it, unequal access to

July 7, 2021

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