At the UNHCR’s first Twilight Seminar, Jack Gray, global investment strategist at GMO, questioned the appropriateness of GDP as a measure of well-being and the possibility of introducing policies to discourage excessive hard work.

Gray told over 100 members of the financial services industry that studies are increasingly finding that ‘wealth’ and ‘happiness’ are not necessarily synonymous and some of the poorest countries, such as Bhutan, are also some of the happiest. Bhutan reports on its GNH or gross national happiness. All proceeds form the event went to the UNHCR’s Stamp out Malaria Campaign. Malaria is the biggest killer of children in Africa. UNHCR’s fifth annual World Refugee Day breakfast will be help on Friday June 16, 2006 at the Westin Hotel Sydney and to coincide with the 2006 FIFA world cup will this year have a sporting theme. There will be an exclusive televised message of support from the Socceroos at the breakfast and an interview of former refugee and property magnate Frank Lowy by sports presenter and also a former refugee Les Murray. Last year’s breakfast attracted 420 guess, mostly from the superannuation and finance sectors. Interested organisations are invited to sponsor a table for $2,500 per table. Sponsorship includes 10 breakfast invitations, logo placement at the table and on entrance signage and verbal acknowledgement during the proceedings. Funds raised will fund the UN Refugee Agency’s education, sport and health programs for young people. For more information go to http://www.unrefugees.org.au/headlines/world-refugee-day-breakfast.html