This archive report was first published on 26 September 2019.
Published on September 26, 2019, a groundbreaking survey by Expo 2020 Dubai and conducted by YouGov has shed light on the world's most optimistic people. Kenyans take the top spot in Africa and rank among the top globally, with a staggering 70% of respondents viewing themselves as optimists.
This figure surpasses the global average of 56% and the continental average of 64%. The survey, which tracked people's priorities for the future, covered sustainability, economic growth, technology, travel, and more. Over 20,000 people across 23 countries were surveyed, providing a comprehensive breakdown by geographic region, gender, employment, marital status, and income.
South America emerged as the most optimistic region, with 74% of respondents holding a positive outlook. Africa, including South Africa and Nigeria, followed closely with 64% of its population viewed as optimistic. The Middle East, Asia, North America, and West/East Europe trailed behind, with 60%, 57%, 50%, and 50% respectively.
Interestingly, Kenyans believe that knowledge gathering, learning, and access to education is the best avenue towards unlocking opportunity in the year 2050, with 85% of respondents agreeing. They also prioritized natural resource conservation, alternative energy, and zero waste in creating a better future, while ranking technological developments such as ride-sharing and electric vehicles least.
