This was an online (via ZOOM) conference organized by Sveta Mohilyasta from the Optima School in Ukraine. Sveta’s students made presentations and students in Paris, South Carolina and Minnesota asked questions and made comments.

The students presented on:

• Modern philosophy of happiness
• Happiness and neuroscience
• Happiness and education
• Happiness is victory

In addition, the Ukrainian Institute for Happiness Research made a presentation. All presenters received good questions.

Some high points included:

• A dancer talked about her dancing class and troup and how they kept doing it in the war.
• The Paris students wrote poems to commemorate the event.
• Things that make students happy included: rescue animals, music, a special place, an attitude, own your own business, reading, movies, performing, dancing, drawing, dreams, pets, writing poems, playing video games…

Thank you to the following people who helped: Beverly Moser, Todd Thompson, Vicki Lohrenz Dilley,  Anne-Laure Delord, Jennifer Duckworth Donnelly, Scott Graves, Kelly DeShane, Anna Katsan, the students of Optima school (Ukraine), The Appalachian University (Boone, NC), Lycee d’Arsonval (Paris, France), Arcadia Charter School (Northfield, Mn), East Burke High School (Boone, NC) and The Ukrainian Institute for Happiness Research.

It was joyous to see students across the world connecting on the topic of happiness.

Great job, Sveta! I hope we can do it again.

Todd