More than five thousand residents of Vilnius measured their mood during the first Happy Barometer week – the happiness index in the capital city averaged out at 6.1 points out of 10, stated the press release.

The social initiative with the slogan Smile to Vilnius has begun, the Happy Barometer results are displayed online on outdoor digital screens around the city of Vilnius.

During its first week, the http://www.happybarometer.com website created on the basis of the IQ Polls interactive audience polling system measured the moods of more than five thousand residents of Vilnius which averaged out at 6.1 points out of 10.

Although the Happy Barometer project was only publicised in Lithuania at this stage, residents of cities all over the world recorded their moods. The Happy Barometer was used by a few dozen to hundreds of people in London, New York, Riga, Tallinn and other cities around the world.

Psychiatrist Aušra Deksnytė commented that the result of 6.1 points out of 10 is rather high, as international studies show that Lithuanians are not among the happiest of nations. Lithuanians almost always find themselves at the bottom of the table in such studies.

“Economy is not a key indicator of the happiness of people. In fact, the happiness index mainly depends on physical and psychological wellbeing – health and family are usually picked as being the most important,” Dr. Aušra Deksnytė said. According to the doctor, each person must develop their ability to live in the present. People are often lost in the past or are constantly worried about the future. It is very important for people to smile as often as possible, because it makes a positive impact on those around us.

Vilnius Mayor Arturas Zuokas was glad that the Happy Barometer project was initiated by the residents of Vilnius. “I am pleased that in terms of Internet speed, Vilnius is not only often ahead of Hong Kong, but is the first among the cities of the world to implement this modern project. The population of Vilnius is creative, and I believe that this project will help us to smile more often and become a happier city. I also encourage other cities to join in the project, as it not only has a meaningful goal, but also benefits the residents of those cities. After all, a smile is currency requiring no exchange when travelling around the world”, said the Mayor of Vilnius, Artūras Zuokas.

“Happy Barometer is a social project, it does not claim to be scientific research. It aims at encouraging people in Vilnius and other cities around the world to smile more and to share their good mood with others. In the future, when the project brings together other cities around the world, we can follow the happiness indices in different cities of the world”, said one of the partners of the IQ Polls project and the originator of the Happy Barometer, Artūras Jonkus.

An outdoor social advertising campaign invites the residents of Vilnius to scan the QR code using their phones and other smart devices, express their mood, and see the results online on digital outdoor screens.

About IQ Polls: IQ Polls is an interactive audience polling system that allows you to poll an audience and receive answers online, with an immediate generalisation function. IQ Polls is a member of the Microsoft BizSpark program. The IQ Polls project was recognized as the best e-commerce project in Lithuania in 2013.