Make Whakatāne Happy Again
About this film – The Happy City Index
What makes a city truly liveable?
Is it economic growth, green spaces, digital innovation — or something deeper, more human?
The Happy City Index is one of the most comprehensive and future-facing frameworks for understanding urban wellbeing today.
Built on years of interdisciplinary research, it goes beyond traditional indicators to measure what really matters: how people feel, how they live, and how cities help them flourish.
In this short film, we introduce the idea behind the Index, the values that drive it, and why we believe cities should be designed not just to grow — but to support human happiness, equity, and resilience.
Whether you’re a policymaker, urban planner, activist, or just someone who dreams of better cities — this is a story for you.
Let’s reimagine the future of urban life — one city, one community, one happy place at a time.
