Reflecting on the Past to Forge the Future: What Can Modern Bhutan Learn From Ling Gesar’s Youthful Bodhisattva Warriors?

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 Who Was Ling Gesar? Ling Gesar was a Bodhisattva warrior King in the Kingdom of Ling in ancient eastern Tibet. Ling is an historical and idyllic place where Ling Gesar was born in 1038, an Earth Tiger Year. He is believed to be the “heart son” of Guru Rinpoche...

The Promise of Broken Youth: A Positive Perspective

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 It was a grey evening in the summer of 2014. I was invited to an ad hoc meeting in the attic of a hotel in Thimphu. In the wake of the furor over the government’s initiative to start what it called “meat processing units”, and what its critics saw...

Dreams, Opportunities, and Realities

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 What is it that the young people in Bhutan aspire to? How do they perceive the world they live in? What is their pulse and plight? What are their dreams? Gopilal Acharya A Song With a Message A Saturday in October, 2015. I am driving my family to Phuenstholing...

Let’s Focus on the Gaps: Educational Disparities and Youth Potential in Bhutan

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 “…is the education our youth are receiving attuned to needs of the nation? And once educated, will our children find employment and realise their full potential?” – His Majesty the King of Bhutan (National Day, 2011) The Facts It is a well-established fact that education is one of the...

“I Didn’t Know What I Was Capable Of ”: The Voice Of a Bhutanese Youth

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 Introduction …government can’t solve all the problems, you know… Because if you look at Bhutan today… we have a lot of skilful, talented youths. I think it is very important that youth come together, they discuss, debate and if they can come up with a good solution… I think it is a...

Raising Them Right: Role of Adults in Shaping Youth

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 With more than half the Bhutanese population under the age of 25, youth play an important role in building Bhutan’s future. In almost every Royal address, His Majesty the King highlights the importance of youth in developing the country and carrying the torch forward. However, it is also very...

Protecting Children in Bhutan from Violence: A Call to Action

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 The 2030 development agenda, popularly known as the Sustainable Development Agenda, includes a global commitment towards the elimination of all forms of violence against children. The world over, countries have made significant progress in enacting legislative provisions to protect children from violence. In Bhutan, the Constitution and progressive legislation...

Recreation for Youth

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 “We may not be able to prepare the future for our children, but we can at leastprepare our children for the future.”                                                      ...

Leveraging Youth Groups for Change

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 Democracy. Sexual and reproductive health. Crime prevention. Gender parity. Art. Environmental conservation. Substance abuse. Sports. Child protection. Sustainable development. LGBT rights. Civic engagement. Mental health. Employment. What do these topics have in common? They are all issues to which various youth groups in Bhutan are dedicated. With a majority...

Surviving in a Sea of Information

Winter Edition , December 28th, 2016 Today’s youth are drowning in a sea of Internet-fed information. And the increased amount of time young people spend on the Internet raises the question, “What do they do online?” Following trends in many other societies, Bhutanese parents complain that their children are “addicted” to the screen. There has...