Invited Symposium International Positive Psychology Association 7th IPPA World Congress 2021

Creating the World We Want to Live In: How Positive Psychology Can Build a Brighter Future (#2)

Dora Guðrún Guðmundsdóttir 1 , Bridget Grenville-Cleave 2 , Vanessa King 3 , David Roffey 4 , Sue Roffey 4 , Marten De Vries 5 , Felicia Huppert 6
  1. Determinants of health and wellbeing Directorate of Health, Reykjavík, Iceland
  2. WorkMad, Gloucester, England, United Kingdom
  3. Changespace Consulting Limited; Action for Happiness, London, England, United Kingdom
  4. Growing Great Schools Worldwide, London, England
  5. Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
  6. University of Sydney Business School, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Chair: Dora Gudmundsdottir, Director, Public Health, Directorate of Health in Iceland and current president of the European Network for Positive Psychology

Other Presenters: Bridget Grenville-Cleave, Felicia Huppert, Vanessa King, David Roffey, Sue Roffey and Marten DeVries.

Symposium Summary:

Surely everything the science of positive psychology offers could extend beyond individuals to make a difference to our societies and the world as a whole?  This symposium highlights how the journey of this idea, from its inception at the European Conference on Positive Psychology (ECPP) in Angers four years ago through conversations at the IPPA conference in Montreal in 2017 to the publication of the book in March 2021 and into the future.

During this time the world has changed – a  pandemic, the rise of populism, Black Lives Matter and accelerating global warming.  It is as if we have pressed pause in order to have a re-think about what matters most.    

The basic principles of wellbeing have not just stayed the same during this time but have been brought into prominence as It has become ever more clear that everything is interconnected - how we think about ourselves and others determines the actions we take and the world we create – and vice-versa.   What needs to happen to build a brighter future for everyone, how might we influence mind-sets and challenge negative trajectories?

During this symposium we will introduce:

  • The principles and capabilities that positive psychology research shows underpin wellbeing across all the dimensions of our lives
  • What those dimensions are from the interpersonal to the socio/cultural
  • Engaging stories that demonstrate the difference such an approach can make
  • How we constructed chapters to engage readers in the challenges we face
  • What we plan to do next and inviting others to become involved.
  • Keywords: Coping and Emotion Regulation, Education, Mindfulness, Relationships, Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth