Ugyen Dorji  | Intern

Marking the International Youth Day celebration on August 12, the education ministry acknowledged Her Majesty the Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck, the President of Bhutan Youth Development Fund for Her Majesty’s contribution in ensuring the development and wellbeing of children and youth in Bhutan.

For more than two decades, Her Majesty has worked effortlessly to empower the lives of the most vulnerable children and youth across Bhutan and continues to nurture and invest in the country’s future, according to a press release from the ministry. 

International Youth Day is observed annually on August 12 to bring youth issues to the attention of the international community and to celebrate the potential of youth as active partners in the global society. This year, the focus of the day was recognising the strengthening of volunteers and amplifying the role of young people as an agent of change. To support children’s learning, Her Majesty donated Science laboratory equipment worth Nu 5 million to the ministry.

To organise and bring together all youth networks in the country, Her Majesty launched the Volunteer Management Information System (VMIS), a database of youth volunteers and organisations that maps the youth group led activities, skills of youth and the programmes initiated by organisations for young people.

The VMIS is developed by Youth Development Fund in collaboration with UNICEF, Department of Youth and Sports, Loden Foundation, and Bhutan Center for Media and Democracy. The system is expected to enhance coordination and networking among volunteers and organisations that work with and for young people. 

Edited by Tshering Palden