Thinley Namgay 

Her Royal Highness Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, President of Jigme Singye Wangchuck Law School, graced the inaugural session of Mindful Development Forum yesterday at the Centre for Bhutan and Gross National Happiness Studies (CBS) in Thimphu.

The two-day forum explores the intersection of mindfulness practices and development economics, focusing on sustainable growth, well-being, and equitable prosperity in Bhutan through visionary initiatives.

Organised by the Institute of Happiness (IOH) in collaboration with participants from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the forum provides a platform for exchanging insights, encouraging collaborative research, and crafting innovative strategies that blend mindfulness into development frameworks.

Over 40 mid-career students from Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and MIT are participating alongside their Bhutanese counterparts.

In her address, Her Royal Highness recounted Bhutan’s historic transition from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional democratic monarchy, describing it as a selfless gift from the throne despite the people’s initial reluctance.

Her Royal Highness also highlighted the enactment of the Constitution of Bhutan and the ongoing Gelephu Mindfulness City project under the leadership of His Majesty The King.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr Karma Ura (PhD), President of the CBS, emphasised the mindful development approach of Gross National Happiness, which respects the interdependence of all sentient beings. “Virtue is a key component in Buddhism and that human qualities such as compassion and loving-kindness are crucial to achieving it.”

Two sessions were conducted yesterday on “GNH and Measuring Beyond GDP” and the “Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC)”.

Dr Pema Dorji (PhD), who leads the Macro-Fiscal team under the Department of Macro-Fiscal and Development Finance at the Ministry of Finance, stated that focusing solely on GDP may not uplift the overall happiness of citizens.

He pointed out that some countries with higher economies still experience poverty and stressed the need for holistic development policies that address grassroots-level needs. “Bhutan has embraced this approach through GNH.”

He highlighted a key disparity in Bhutan, where GDP per capita exceeds household incomes, calling for enhanced policies to improve the livelihoods of farmers, who constitute 65 percent of the population.

Andi Wang, a PhD candidate in Business Economics at Harvard University, said that many  countries are overly focused on GDP and obsessed with material growth. He said that Bhutan’s GNH provides a systematic framework to promote mindful development.

Officials from the IOH shared that the MDF is inspired by and aligned with three major national initiatives: GNH, the GMC, and the Gyalsung Programme.

Speaking about the GMC, Ujjwal Deep Dahal, CEO of DHI, informed participants that work on the 2,500 square km city—five times the size of Singapore—is being spearheaded by His Majesty the King. “The GMC will be a model city where mindfulness components are exemplified,” he said. “The City is vital for Bhutan to diversify its economy beyond agriculture, hydropower, and tourism.”