b2b – Page 16 – BIIB Blog

4th International Conference on Gross National Happiness (GNH) begins!

November 25: The 4th International Conference on Gross National Happiness began in the capital yesterday. More than 90 participants from 25 countries are participating in the three day conference. The Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley graced the opening of the conference.

Addressing the participants at the opening, the Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley said the conference is taking place at a time when Bhutan is celebrating three significant events; the centenary celebration of the monarchy, the coronation of His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the successful institution of parliamentary democracy in the country. Continue reading 4th International Conference on Gross National Happiness (GNH) begins!

Bhutan and the Art of Happiness!

Nov 13th 2008 | THIMPHU: In the mountainous forests above the Thimpu valley, the end-point of a five-day, guided trek through Bhutan for rich foreign tourists, lies the only big construction site in the capital of the isolated Himalayan country. The world’s youngest democracy is building houses for its parliamentarians. The former king, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, shocked his people in late 2006 by stepping down, decreeing the establishment of democracy and handing over to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk. Most Bhutanese would have preferred to preserve royal rule, but loyally obeyed the king’s order to rule themselves. Continue reading Bhutan and the Art of Happiness!

Bhutan Crowns a New King!

The Boston Globe: The United States was not the only country to name a new leader this week. In Bhutan, an insular nation of about 600,000 people located high in the Himalayas, a new king was crowned. 28-year-old Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, an Oxford-educated bachelor, was crowned as Bhutan’s fifth king – now the world’s youngest reigning monarch. Bhutan also has the distinction of being the world’s youngest democracy – having held parliamentary elections last March for the first time ever. The young ruler vows to maintain a stance of protection against the worst aspects of globalization, maintaining the “Gross National Happiness”, a measurement of national progress that places a high value on spiritual development. Gross National Happiness is a term invented by, and proudly embraced by Bhutanese since 1972. (22 photos total)

Bhutan’s fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (right) crowns his son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as the fifth King of Bhutan, in the Throne room of the Tashichhodzong Palace during the coronation ceremony in Thimphu, Bhutan on November 6, 2008. With medieval tradition and Buddhist spirituality, a 28-year-old with an Oxford education assumed the Raven Crown of Bhutan on Thursday, to guide the world’s newest democracy as it emerges into the modern world. (REUTERS/Royal Government of Bhutan/Handout)

Source: The Boston Globe

HIS MAJESTY THE KING’S CORONATION ADDRESS

8 November, 2008 – It is with immense joy that we are gathered together on this most auspicious day. In these last 100 years the dreams and aspirations of our forefathers and the vision of our Kings have been fulfilled beyond all expectations. The wise and selfless leadership of our kings, the sacrifice and hard work of generations of Bhutanese and the special bond between the People and King have given us this unique and special nation – a jewel of the earth.

Two years ago, at a time of profound change I came onto the Throne as a young King. You, my people, in the spirit of generations past, worked with me with complete faith and gave me your wholehearted cooperation and goodwill. Thus, in these two short years while we have taken gigantic steps towards strengthening our nation, we have done so in a calm, deliberate manner in complete harmony. It is with great pride that we stand as new democracy, having successfully completed an unprecedented and historic transition. Continue reading HIS MAJESTY THE KING’S CORONATION ADDRESS

Bhutan’s Dragon King shows he is man of the people!

Bhutan's Dragon King shows he is man of the people THIMPHU: He was supposed to look on regally from on high as warriors, monks and masked dancers celebrated his coronation, but Bhutan’s new Dragon King instead showed royal star quality by descending to mingle with the crowds on Friday.

The 28-year-old Oxford educated Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who assumed the Raven Crown on Thursday, spent most of the afternoon among the 20,000 spectators, chatting, joking, and greeting old friends, ordinary people, and tourists.

“He is very gracious and he has amazing charisma,” said 36-year-old Patty Wu from San Francisco, after the king stopped to jokingly enquire if her friends were wearing suncream, and to talk about California. Continue reading Bhutan’s Dragon King shows he is man of the people!

Bhutan Celebrates Coronation of Young New King

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

THIMPHU, Bhutan (AP) — Tradition in this Buddhist Himalayan kingdom says that the people pay homage to a new king by lining up with the gift of a white scarf. Their new monarch, however, was having none of it.

Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, a Western-educated bachelor with the good looks of a young Elvis and an easy charm, came down from his throne to his people after a ceremony Thursday that saw him become Bhutan’s first king since its transformation to democracy.

Moving through some 20,000 Bhutanese near the Tashichho Dzong, a 17th-century white-walled fortress where the coronation was held, the king bent low to take the scarves and in return handed out coronation coins. Continue reading Bhutan Celebrates Coronation of Young New King

Bhutan Prepares for Historic Coronation of the Fifth King

29 October, 2008 – It is the end – and the beginning – of history. On the morning of November 1, the third day of the ninth Bhutanese month, His Majesty the King will be empowered as the Druk Gyalpo in a unique and sacred empowerment ceremony, which symbolises his transcendence of the ordinary and the temporal and the personification of divine wisdom.

His Majesty will receive the Dar Na-Nga, a special arrangement of the primary colours that signify the five elements. The ceremony will take place in the Machhen Lhakhang, and the Dar Na-Nga will be symbolically conferred by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, in the presence of the fourth Druk Gyalpo, with the empowerment prayer chanted by His Holiness the Je Khenpo.

The white, yellow, red, green, and blue silk scarves represent the elements – water, earth, fire, wind, and space – the basis of physical existence, that His Majesty personifies, as well as the underlying energies from which the physical world arises.

In Buddhist belief, the empowerment of the Druk Gyalpo mandates that he assumes the strategies of the Gewa Rigna (five Buddha families) – that of pacification, increase, magnification, power, and a combination of all.
Continue reading Bhutan Prepares for Historic Coronation of the Fifth King

Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Announced

A coalition of environmental organizations and travel businesses is forming a global sustainability standard for tourism.

More travelers are desiring sustainable vacations and more destinations are seeking to lessen the impacts of rising visitor numbers. But tourists who want to leave a lighter footprint must currently choose among some 300 different sustainable tourism standards, members of the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria said Monday at the launch of their criteria at the World Conservation Union (IUCN) World Congress in Barcelona. Continue reading Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Announced

Where Conservation and Recreation Come Together

Forestry division provides a space for people to keep in touch with nature

A mix of rugged terrain and manicured oases in the middle of a forest, the royal botanical park is a hub of exotic plants, birds and an unique recreational site. This natural beauty, that encompasses about 47 sq km, is located at an altitude of 2,800 m.

The royal botanical park was built to preserve the existing rich biodiversity within the Sinchula-Dochula-Helela zone under Thimphu and Punakha districts.

“This area is rich in biodiversity, both in flora and fauna, and the main objective is to conserve them and provide a recreational area for the people,” said the assistant forestry officer, Tshering Phuntsho. He said that the area was degrading as it was used to collect firewood and other forest resources. Continue reading Where Conservation and Recreation Come Together

Meeting MDG Goals – The Challenges Before Bhutan

Although on track to achieve the millennium development goals’ (MDGs) health targets, Bhutan is challenged with low levels of skilled birth attendance.

“Bhutan’s skilled birth attendance, which is 56 percent, is a critical challenge,” said a WHO representative during the high-level consultation held in Ahmedabad, India, to accelerate progress towards achieving maternal and child health (MNCH) – goals 4 and 5 of the MDGs. Continue reading Meeting MDG Goals – The Challenges Before Bhutan