The WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, has appointed the Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, as a WHO Champion for the European Well-being Economy Initiative. This prestigious appointment comes as a recognition of Prime Minister Jakobsdóttir's unwavering commitment to human rights, gender equality and climate justice.
The announcement of the Prime Minister’s appointment was formally made at a bilateral meeting during Iceland’s first national Well-being Economy Forum in Reykjavik on 14–15 June 2023. During the same meeting, Dr Kluge and the Prime Minister also discussed how her government has been steering Iceland towards a well-being economy by prioritizing people’s health, material well-being, social connectedness, security, and happiness in all government investments and decisions.
Reflecting on Iceland’s journey so far, the Prime Minister asked, “Can there be a better goal, for a politician, than to think of people’s happiness and well-being?”
“Iceland is a pioneer in creating a well-being economy, for a fairer society that leaves no-one behind,” said Dr Kluge. “Its determined focus on an equitable and sustainable welfare system, early childhood development and family support, young people in the labour market, and equal opportunities for women, girls and minority groups, as well as advancing these values internationally through the Sustainable Development Agenda, has been spearheaded by Prime Minister Jakobsdóttir. I am honoured that the Prime Minister has agreed to become a WHO Champion for the European Well-being Economy Initiative, so that countries across Europe and central Asia will be able to learn from Iceland’s example.”
Steering Iceland towards a well-being economy
During their bilateral meeting, the Prime Minister accepted becoming a WHO Champion for the European Well-being Economy Initiative.
The announcement of the Prime Minister’s appointment as a WHO Champion follows her participation at the WHO European Regional High-level Forum on Health in the Well-being Economy, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 1–2 March 2023.
Building on the Forum held in Copenhagen, Iceland hosted the first Well-being Economy Forum in Reykjavik on 14–15 June 2023, convening representatives from all government sectors, businesses, local communities, the Central Bank of Iceland, renowned academic experts, and leaders from other nations pursuing well-being economies. Participants shared evidence, tools, metrics, policies and services that Iceland and other European countries are implementing to shift to well-being economies.
Role of the WHO Champion
As a WHO Champion, Prime Minister Jakobsdóttir will raise awareness among European and global governments and intergovernmental bodies about the imperatives and benefits of transitioning to well-being economies.
New report: Country deep dive on the well-being economy in Iceland
WHO/Europe is developing a series of deep dives capturing countries’ experiences in shifting to well-being economies in the WHO European Region. Read the Country deep dive on the well-being economy in Iceland here.