Vol. 58 No. 34 • March 14, 2017
I am writing this editorial sitting amidst the mystic music coming from the sound of wind blowing leaves from trees planted all over the place in this beautiful country – Bhutan.
It’s been decades since Bhutan came up with the concept of gross national happiness (GNH). Coined by the former king of Bhutan, the term GNH implied on giving equal importance to non-economic aspects of human wellbeing in sustainable development of the nation. Today, GNH has become Bhutan’s greatest export to the world. Certainly, Bhutan ranks on the top of the chart as one of the happiest nations across the globe. So, what is it that makes Bhutan one of the happiest countries?
Having spent the last few days in this beautiful land, I have realized that preserving the gift of nature given to them is so critical to the people of Bhutan that they do not get swayed by the lure of luxury and comfort that comes with a lot of developmental pitches. Where else would you have 1,08,000 trees planted in honour of the birth of a prince? At other places such an event would lead to an extravagant celebration. In Bhutan, 60 per cent of the land is under the forest cover. No wonder Bhutan is one of the few carbon negative countries in the world, probably the only one. People here actually breathe fresh air.
People are satisfied and content with their lives. They prefer living a life which is closer to their roots, less materialistic yet more fulfilling. This does not however mean that people here do not support technological and infrastructure development. They believe in imbibing good practices from across the globe and using them for the betterment of Bhutan. I have seen a lot of senior bureaucrats, top executives in Bhutan who have impressive educational credentials, return to their country to meaningfully contribute towards its development. Clearly, happiness is more important to them than money.
Rotary is already doing the wonderful job of spreading happiness in the lives of people through its initiatives in education and healthcare. Our environmental committee could come up with ways to protect our forests and reduce our own carbon footprint.
