Oliver Conway

This year, This World Happiness Report highlights how people are more trustworthy than we think.

And once again, Finland is named the happiest country in the world.

And once again, Finland is named the happiest country in the world.

And once again, Finland is named the happiest country in the world.

the woman helping millions of people make their voices heard. This week saw International Happiness Day, and with it the release of a report showing strangers are much kinder than we think. Like this.

the woman helping millions of people make their voices heard. This week saw International Happiness Day, and with it the release of a report showing strangers are much kinder than we think. Like this.

the woman helping millions of people make their voices heard. This week saw International Happiness Day, and with it the release of a report showing strangers are much kinder than we think. Like this.

That's 28-year-old Will Shears, who goes round parks in London handing out cups of tea. In return, people talk about their lives. Will has started posting the chats on social media in a project called A Mug of Life. The Happy Pod's Holly Gibbs spoke to him over, of course, a cuppa.

That's 28-year-old Will Shears, who goes round parks in London handing out cups of tea. In return, people talk about their lives. Will has started posting the chats on social media in a project called A Mug of Life. The Happy Pod's Holly Gibbs spoke to him over, of course, a cuppa.

That's 28-year-old Will Shears, who goes round parks in London handing out cups of tea. In return, people talk about their lives. Will has started posting the chats on social media in a project called A Mug of Life. The Happy Pod's Holly Gibbs spoke to him over, of course, a cuppa.

Will Shears talking to Holly Gibbs. According to this year's World Happiness Report, our belief in the kindness of strangers is closely tied to how happy we feel. We also tend to underestimate the level of kindness. Trust in strangers was measured by looking at how many people returned wallets that had been deliberately misplaced. The number was almost twice as high as expected.

Will Shears talking to Holly Gibbs. According to this year's World Happiness Report, our belief in the kindness of strangers is closely tied to how happy we feel. We also tend to underestimate the level of kindness. Trust in strangers was measured by looking at how many people returned wallets that had been deliberately misplaced. The number was almost twice as high as expected.

Will Shears talking to Holly Gibbs. According to this year's World Happiness Report, our belief in the kindness of strangers is closely tied to how happy we feel. We also tend to underestimate the level of kindness. Trust in strangers was measured by looking at how many people returned wallets that had been deliberately misplaced. The number was almost twice as high as expected.

The BBC's Mark Easton marked the day by carrying out an experiment of his own.

The BBC's Mark Easton marked the day by carrying out an experiment of his own.

The BBC's Mark Easton marked the day by carrying out an experiment of his own.

Mark Easton, and he was talking to the founding editor of the World Happiness Report, John F. Helliwell, from the University of British Columbia. If you've ever been helped by the kindness of strangers or made friends just by chatting to someone, we'd love to hear from you. Send an email or voice note to globalpodcasts at bbc.co.uk.

Mark Easton, and he was talking to the founding editor of the World Happiness Report, John F. Helliwell, from the University of British Columbia. If you've ever been helped by the kindness of strangers or made friends just by chatting to someone, we'd love to hear from you. Send an email or voice note to globalpodcasts at bbc.co.uk.

Mark Easton, and he was talking to the founding editor of the World Happiness Report, John F. Helliwell, from the University of British Columbia. If you've ever been helped by the kindness of strangers or made friends just by chatting to someone, we'd love to hear from you. Send an email or voice note to globalpodcasts at bbc.co.uk.

The UN report also named Finland as the world's happiest country for the eighth year in a row, as another of the authors, Lara Aknin, explains.