The eight-day visit to Australia by His Majesty The King and the Royal family has redefined the convention of Royal visits, State visits, and international diplomacy. And the interaction of the Royal family with about 26,000 people of the Bhutanese diaspora was a stark validation of the intensity of the Bhutanese identity.

For some of us who believe that we are witnessing the end of the extended Bhutanese family, we saw this week the real depth of this bond. We were reassured that Bhutan’s Monarch is an embodiment of unity and continuity of the Bhutanese family which has expanded to global proportions.

The all-pervasive social media leaves us flooded with personal images, stories, anecdotes, laughter and tears as the Bhutanese diaspora in Australia crowded public spaces to celebrate the first visit of His Majesty The King and the Royal family. Women, men, and children sang and danced and re-lived the festivities that reached the magnitude of National Day celebrations in Bhutan. The spirits were high and the emotions overwhelming as people took a break from the routine of life in Australia to organise and attend the Royal audiences, in formal gho and kira.

Australians and other observers, who are more familiar with immigrants being relieved to have escaped their countries for good, were struck and touched by the spontaneous response of the people to the Royal visit. Many said they did not quite understand this bond that has kept Bhutanese society together over the centuries.

Bhutanese call this tha damtshi, the samaya between a guru and devotee, the fidelity between the King and people, the reciprocal relationship between nation and citizen, leader and follower, employer and employee, teacher and student, parents and children, between married couples, siblings, friends, colleagues… This is the basis of governance which, in its real and complete sense, means the functioning of society; in Bhutan’s case, the wellbeing of society.

His Majesty met the Governor-General, Prime Minister, and Premier of Western Australia. This is a country where Bhutanese have studied and trained over the decades and returned to hold important jobs in government, private sector, and civil society.

In the Royal audiences with the diaspora, His Majesty explained that the purpose of the Royal visit was to meet Bhutanese families and introduce the Royal family (with the Royal children quickly stealing public attention), discuss the future scenario emerging in Bhutan—with the Gelephu Mindfulness City — and ensuring that all Bhutanese are involved in Bhutan’s evolution.

The interaction was warm and personal because, characteristically, His Majesty knew and recognised many people, even some who had been away from Bhutan for more than a decade. His Majesty said he was proud to see Bhutanese people studying hard, gaining experience, and doing well in life.

Thousands of pragmatic questions and comments during and after the audiences showed that the diaspora is in touch with home and serious about being a part of Bhutan’s transformation.

There were realistic and practical concerns about the use of the natural building materials in Gelephu’s subtropical climate. Some are worried about Gelephu’s rivers and streams that flood in summer, including the notorious Mao Khola. Youth sought advice on courses that would be relevant in the evolution of Bhutan’s economy and work spaces. Individuals and families were keen to understand the investment climate. A number of questions focused on the proposed new currency and ORO Bank. And there were questions on the potential international partnerships including India’s role in the GMC as well as the pollution across the border in Assam.

It appears likely that many Bhutanese will return to Bhutan. They are not expected to rush back on the next flight and have been advised to first build their own skills and experience. The responsibility of the GMC management, the government, and Bhutanese society is to create employment opportunities and an environment for young Bhutanese professionals to contribute to nation building.

Many commitments were passionately made by the people, in person and online. But it makes sense to wait for the right conditions. It is also important that Bhutanese with exposure and ideas do not wait for jobs to be created for them, but to return to influence the evolution. As we already see today, Bhutanese who pick up new ideas are effectively gentrifying the country by establishing modern eateries and cafes, packaging high quality products, and introducing new skills and technology.

Today, the situation is that the Royal vision has been granted. The work has begun. And so have the hurdles. As the amazing tide of emotions ebbs, some of the enthusiasm will also recede. Sections of our youth might not understand what made their parents drop everything, including jobs, for an audience with the King in Australia. Modern parents need to learn, even in Bhutan, to nurture the values of damtshig which has shaped Bhutanese thought and defined the Bhutanese identity.

Experts at the recent Bhutan Innovation Forum concluded that if any country can pull off an initiative like the Gelephu Mindfulness City, it is Bhutan. The future, inevitably, is a prosperous Bhutan which is possible with the best expertise that the world has to offer and the degree of faith and trust that the Bhutanese have in the Royal vision.