Dubai-UAE: 11 February, 2018 –   His Excellency Eng Faisal bin Saeed Bafarat, Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), outlined the efforts of his government to make its citizens happier as it works towards the achievement of the Saudi Vision 2030.

His comments came during a session entitled ‘Enriching Lives through Saudi’s GEA’, part of the ‘Global Lessons on Happiness and Wellbeing Policies’ series that highlighted successful experiences from Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia, the UAE and Australia, at the Global Dialogue for Happiness.

The Global Dialogue for Happiness serves as a curtain raiser to the World Government Summit in 2018. The platform has happiness experts, government officials and representatives of international organizations examining ways to help governments ensure the happiness of their people. The event features workshops and sessions on topics related to happiness and well-being. The outcomes of these workshops and sessions are to be compiled in a manual that will help governments raise the level of happiness across nations.

His Excellency Eng Bafarat outlined Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority’s aim to make entertainment accessible to all, developing an entertainment sector spanning all categories including cinemas, museums, theme parks, water parks, digital entertainment and sports.

Furthermore, His Excellency Eng Bafarat emphasized GEA’s commitment to introducing one top-tier event for every week of the year and to retaining Saudi citizens in the country rather than seeing them travel overseas for entertainment. GEA also intends for every citizen to be able to access a form of entertainment within an hour’s drive.

He said: “We have achieved so much in 2017 in terms of entertainment, with a year of firsts, such as women performers on stage – something we have never had before, and it’s just the beginning. The sector is in its infancy, and one of the challenges we are facing is finding people with the right capabilities to support the growth of the industry.”

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the World Government Summit 2018 runs from February 11 to 13 at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The landmark event convenes more than 4,000 participants from 140 countries, including heads of state and governments, as well as top-tier representatives of 16 international organizations.

Hosting more than 130 speakers across 120 interactive sessions, WGS 2018 features five distinct forums that examine the challenges of vital sectors for the future with a view to finding the best resolutions for the greater global good. Furthermore, over 20 specialized global reports spanning key sectors and topics of the summit are being launched during the event.