7th SAF Camp: A lesson for 8th SAF in Bhutan

A group of community scout from Bhutan attended a week long 7th South Asia Foundation Scout Friendship Camp (SAF Camp) held at Haryana, India.

The contingent leader, Ugyen Lhendup, an assisant lecturer at Royal Institute of Management, who led a 5 female and 7 male member participants said: “The group has learnt new experiences of different culture and values from the camp.”

The youth parliament, which was formed by two representatives from each participating country, gave them good experience of amending article for resolution, so it was “experiencing democracy” in different diverse cultural setup.

Most of the participants said that they had made lot of friends from different SAARC countries, which they said would contribute towards strengthening relationship among the SAARC countries and make scouting contribute in social causes to maintain “peace and solidarity”- which is of course the theme of the camp this year- within country and the region in general.

The aim of the camp was to promote and strengthen regional peace, solidarity and cooperation among young people of South Asia by providing them an opportunity to live together and engage in various activities fostering friendship and mutual understanding.

All the participants presented their culture and represented their own country. The youth forum discussion saw lots of issues of ones own representative country and the region in general being in the limelight. They had talked about fighting terrorism and corruption. Stopping war and global climate change were not spared too. Other programmes were engaging in scout activities and cultural study tour around Delhi.

While the group had expected much from the camp, they agreed the programmes have been good but they had lot of suggestions so that Bhutan would not make those mistakes next year that they have come across at the camp.

Most of them said that all the participants should be given equal importance to every opportunity. Good resources both man power and materials should be looked into. Time management and communication gap during the programme should be overcome by sticking to particular time and one common language.

The participants summed up the camp as successful one and their experience as a new in traveling and adapting to diverse cultural setup of living to thinking amidst of frustration and unfulfilled expectations.

The camp was attended by around 500 including 115 overseas participants. SAF is a voluntary, secular, non-profit and non-political youth movement founded by UNESCO goodwill ambassador Madanjeet Singh.

First SAF Camp was held in Bhutan in 2002 with the theme “regional cooperation” during which 550 boys and girls participated from the seven SAARC countries. The following it was held in Maldives with 180 youth taking part in it.

(P.S: Report for BhutanToday)

The father and the son's conversation

This early in the morning I boarded a taxi. I found that the father was riding his son to the school for the examination.

The driver has put on the BBS radio. There was a series of news and then there was a news about the opening ceremony of the National Assembly yesterday. So the opposition leader Tshering Tobgay offered his gratitude to His Majesty the King for His noble supports and efforts during the recent earthquake.

The father exclaimed that Tshering Tobagay and alikes in the parliament speak so good and meaningful which are important for the nation and people as whole.

The son was quite confused and asked: "Who is Tshering Tobgay, apa?"

"Oh! He is the person in Bhutan equivalent to the Prime Minister."

The son was more puzzled, I could make through his next question. "But who is prime minister?"

"You know our King mosh". The son nodded. Then the poor father added, "These people like Tshering Tobgay and Prime Minster are powerful and responsible people next to our King."

Then it seemed that the son understood and remembered something. "Yes apa, now I remember that these people are those whom we elected in 2008."

The father was quite proud. "So you know who they are."

"We have been told by teacher in the school," responded the son.

"Are you prepared for today's exams?" asked the father.

"I think I can do it well."

"You should do well in exams, ok. You have to study well from here onwards and get good marks, then you will become like these people: Lyonpo Tshering Tobgay and the Prime Minister."

"I will try, apa!"

The father smiled at him.

We reached our destination. The son got out of the taxi and the father said after him, "Remember our promise and do well in the exams."

(P.S: This is not fictional but true encounter. Photo Courtesy: from google)

Should we worry about Heron???

"It is ironic that Bhutan, known for its pristine environment, a global “hotspot,” is not able to provide shelter to endangered species," Kuensel editorial.
Why is it ironic? Why? Its time to get out of confines and start our work towards "self-sufficiency".
Why we have to really concern for the sake of these birds when our Bhutanese people are literally poor and suffering in the name of conservation of environment. We cannot halt such development activities, not at all.
Ours is such a small country with yet small population. But most of our people do not have access to clean drinking water and best of medical sevices and education. We can grow our own food but we land up importing so much food from our neighbours. As a whole, Bhutanese living standard is pathetically low. We can no more fool ourselves that we are proud GNH nation but where what wants and needs are as any other people in the developed nations have.
Its time our country should use our natural resources properly even that our future generations would benefit.
So when we have natural resources in our hand, we should use them. I mean that if the glaciers and snow start melting faster than it should not be, then we are fool for not using them. Then where can we boast of having conserved our environment deaccelarating the development? I say this because we are sandwiched between two globally emerging economic super powers who are not going to turn back in their quest. So when they are not and, ofcourse, which are the most contributors of GHGs, why our small country should and yet suffer because of them?
It does not make any sense to me! I will not be obliged by the international recognition for our environment conservation policy. Lets not be befooled and blinded to make our own economic progress because of these accolades.
We have to , in other round, focus on economic development but yet taking environment conservation into consideration. But importance should be given to the economic development first.

(Photo courtesy: Bhutan Observer)

Lucky by Chance?

I don´t konw the meaning of "luck" and how one becomes lucky either. Does it mean that all things get done or you get something without any effort? Yes, I am really perplexed in understanding it!

While,to be frank and honest, I do not believe in luck but I do believe in hardwork with intellegience-thats hardwork- or in cause and effect but not really in Buddhistic way.

Last time, not long ago, it was at Sweden in Gilastugan scout centre, I was feeling bored and happened to talk with my Bhutanese friend. It was that time she said that, let say, X was lucky to get opportunity to pursue medicine in Cuba.

Thats how our conversation unfolded.

So I asked her how can you say that he was lucky when he had burnt mid-night candle and finally got what he wanted. I added that it was hardwork that has paid him off but not by luck.

She argued that there are so many countries where our country can send him for his studies but he got the opportunity to study there. So its luck, she confirmed.

While, I answered her if he had not studied judiciously keeping the goal of getting opportunity as his priority at school, he could never had the opportunity at the first place. So is he unlucky?

She said that she has a friend, yes very good friend whom she knows very well, good at studies who really studies but she failed in her final examination! So how is that possible?

Yes, she can be intellegient and hardworking student but it does not mean that she cannot fail, I said. There might be other factors that she was not aware about her friend.

So I asked her that whether friend disclosed any reason why she did fail. But the answer was that she knew her very well and she could not fail.

Next qusetion was whether she was there along with her friend who might not have known answers to write in examination. So how can you say that its bad luck when one fails than giving appropriate justifications for it.

This is our human nature, and ofcurse very stupid, to blame on bad luck than having courage to speak out ones own limitations or weaknesses.

Then conversation dragged on to religion, god and creation of universe. It was really lively discussion. Guess, what happened at the end???

She said that I was acting over confident and she does not like debate or argument with angry look in her face. She became personnal in her comment towards me.

Oh! What? Shit!It was just a week ago that we had one class for being open-mindedness, I could not believe what our conversation turned into and did to her!

I said sorry to her.

Good thing is that I learnt lesson: ask whether one is ok or likes debating or argument over a topic but not personnal.

Presenting Bhutan to Danes

Who said teaching small children is an easy job? Thanks to my teachers whom I cannot give back anything but I am really grateful to them. The most difficult job I have come across is making children understand what you are talking.

That was my first time experience talking- but almost teaching- to a scout group of 25 children with few adults at Struer Scout Centre with my project group. Actually I wanted to say so many things and talk about Bhutan but since their education is done in Danish language except for English and more over they were small- as young as 10 to 14 years old- I was inhibited to greater extent from ways of presentation to content.

Yet then they were told about Bhutan. First I spoke a sentence about Bhutan and then my friend Herman translated it for them.

The actual version of my presentation was this:

Bhutan is a small landlocked southern Asian country sandwiched between India, in the south and China, in the north. The country has a total area of 38, 394 km2. It has 20 districts- we call dzongkhags- and the capital of the country is called Thimphu.

Bhutan lies at the foothills of Himalaya. So its range of altitude from around 1000m to about 7000m. It is really mountainous with so many valleys through which rivers and small streams make their ways to the south- that is India. Snow capped mountains and glacial lakes are sources of rivers and streams.

About 72% of the total area is under forest coverage with almost 8% as agricultural land. Bhutan has rich biodiversity of animals and plant species and is recognised for its conservation internationally.

Bhutan enjoys tropical to alpine climate. The most part of the country have four seasons. It is almost similar to Denmark.

Bhutan has population not more than 600,000. People of Bhutan are known are as Bhutanese. Majority of Bhutanese practise Budhism- and its our state religion. While there are small sections of the population practising Hindhuism and Christainity.

In a way, Bhutanese ways of life- from every day life to political system in the country- are influenced by Budhism. Bhutanese are hospitable and live in joint family.

Dzongs- that are fortresses in terms of western part of the world and traditional houses are major attraction for foreigners. Dzongs are used for administration as well as religion purposes.
Archery is our national game. It is played with great pomp and show. Mostly it is played during several ocassions but nowadays its not uncommon to see so many archery tournament competitions organised in the capital.

Our country is known for known for preservation and promotion of her rich culture and tradition. The country is one whole lively museum!

Gho for men and kira for women are national dresses in the country which is worn every day anywhere- I mean- for formal purposes: going to offices and schools, formal events et al.

At present, Bhutan is gaining worldwide attention by her unique development approach- that is Gross National Happiness (GNH)- the philosophy propounded by the fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The King says: "Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product."

In simple, GNH means the economic development focused on happiness and wellbeing of people where there is preservation and promotion of culture and tradition, good governance, conservation of environment and promotion of sustainable development- which are ofcourse the four guiding principles of GNH.

Thats why though Bhutan is not a developed country, there is eleven years of free education for every child and every citizen has access to free medical services- from diagnosis to medication. By 2013 every household will have electricity.

Economy is quite underdeveloped but blooming every passing year. The export of hydropower- the electricity produced by water forces- earns the biggest revenue. Then its tourism industry which generates highest revenue though it has unique approach- thats 'High Value, Low Volume' strategy where tourist pays high entrance fee to enter the country. That is done to regulate number of tourist coming in the country.

At large, the Bhutanese economy is based on agriculture and forestry which provide the main livelihood for more than 80% of the population. Agriculture consists of largely subsistenace farming and animal husbandry. Bhutanese import so much of rice and other food items from India.

The GDP per capita is around US §4800.

There are around 4500 km of roads. There is no boat or railways like here in Denmark. The country has only one flight service provider-thats DrukAir which operates several flights in four asian countries: India, Nepal, Thailand and Bangladesh.

The most interesting fact is that television was introduced in 1999 and internet in 2000. Now, internet is accessible from towns of almost all 20 districts.

Presently, there are five newspapers including one national newspaper and one national broadcast TV.

Thanks to the enlightened vision and leadership of His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck who gave democracy to people of Bhutan and crowned the Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck as the fifth King of Bhutan.

So it was in 2008 that Bhutanese elected their new government and celebrated one century of monarchy- which was instituted on 17 December 1907- and the formal coronation of the Fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck.

So far so good in Bhutan.

On Education and Values- A Speech by Lyonpo Thakur S Powdyel (Part II)

At a time when the search for a job is uppermost in your mind, any suggestion of personal cultivation may sound naive or even unkind. But education will be a highly impoverished engagement if it were to be limited to only completing a course of study and finding an employment, as important as they both are.

One of the supreme ironies of modern education – at all levels- is that its inspiration comes from the open market and not from ideals and visions that elevate the mind and expand the heart. Reductive market metaphors are the order of the day. We have, therefore, saleable graduates, marketable ideas, employable skills, as if the whole purpose of education were to prepare young men and women for employment and nothing else.

Neither extreme is affordable. A wholesome middle path is the call of the hour. James Michener’s conception of the Clovis point provides a most compelling model for a new role of education. In his famous novel The Centennial, Michener has the narrator all praise for the hunter who has manufactured a most potent equipment to catch game.

If it were just a question of fitting out an equipment to catch animals, the hunter could have simply forged a practical weapon and had his feast. But, he went a step further- he turned the weapon into a work of art – over and above making it a hunting equipment.

I like to think of education in such the same way as Michener’s hunter thinks of his hunting equipment- elevating the scholar with the qualities of usefulness and gracefulness. Education gains in value and substance if it ensures that the knowledge that the scholar acquires over a period of study is useful to himself or herself, to his or her family and to the society at large. Knowledge for its own sake is to be welcomed, but if it has practical value, you add fragrance to gold.
Knowledge devoid of gracefulness is brutish and tyrannical. Such knowledge creates a deficiency in the scholar that manifests itself immediately in his or her social interactions and public behaviour. Values are a function of principal and of action. Where do I stand in the scale of values?

On a more far-reaching national scale, when many of you were away, we ushered in a new system of governance in the country. Unlike in so many countries around the world, democracy came to Bhutan in peace-time as the symbol of conscious decisions of his majesty our beloved Drukgyal Zhipa Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Today, we would like to ask ourselves: What is my image of my country ten years from now” 20 years? 50? 100 years and beyond? Will it be a prosperous and confident country of Gross national happiness at peace with itself? What will it take to move my country forward? What is my place in the scheme of things? As I am, so is my nation.

We have this historic responsibility of establishing and advancing a unique Bhutanese brand of democracy built on the principles of honour, integrity and the spirit of service. Only a strong sense of self-discipline at all levels of our society will ensure the success of democracy in our country.

With all its imperfections, we still have a country that is increasingly being looked at as a model for many things. As leaders of tomorrow, it falls upon you to receive the blessings of our heritage by right and responsibly and hand over to your successors who will receive and advanc3 it by right and responsibility.

I n a democracy, it is ever so easy to bulked and administer cynical and negative impulses. As leaders of tomorrow, it is my dream and my prayer that you will be the subjects of hope and of faith. This country is meant for noble things and you can be rte reason for its nobility of mind and of action.

The mass media have introduced the cost and colour of your kiras and your ghos, the make and height of your shoe-heels, to our capital city. I wonder what kind of Thimphu you met this time round. I wonder too what kind of graduates Thimphu has found this time round.

Year after year, hundreds of our scholars converge in Thimphu and merge in its dizzy life- with its own share of purity and its perversity. What will make your batch unique? This city will radiate the light that you have brought from the many seats of learning at home and abroad.

Our country will illumine in your ideals and in your integrity.
As leaders of tomorrow, we look upon you as the intellectual and moral force in the building of our nation.

May you all rise! May you all shine! Our leaders of tomorrow.

Tashi Delek.

On Education and Values- A Speech by Lyonpo Thakur S Powdyel (Part I)

As a teacher, it has been my good fortune to wait on and to wait for the leaders of tomorrow all my life. In a deeply cherished destiny spanning more than a quarter century, I have followed the progress of our children from kindergarten to university and beyond to positions of high leadership dedicated to the service of our beloved country.

In faith, in anticipation, I have traced the development of myriad personal narratives- of hope and of dreams, of innocence and of experience, of fear and of anxiety. Above all, I have celebrated the idealism and the creative energy that our youth hold in such abundance and with such promise.

That is the reason why I have waited with much anticipation to meet withy you today. I am grateful to the organisers for the largeness of your heart to allow me a little space for a little conversation with the leaders of tomorrow.

“Go out to learn, come in to serve”, the wise ones said. Today, I celebrate with your parents the fulfilment of an old promise. You fill this hall with your presence. But, more importantly, you fill our hearts with joy and with pride.

Leaders of tomorrow, who you are and what you have achieved, you owe it to your parents and to your country. Where you stand today and where you want to go from here, you owe it to yourself.

Many thousand little girls and little e boys of your generation joined school together with you in PP over two decades ago. Only a fraction of that multitude has forged on and completed graduation this year. So many fell by the way- some owing to factors for which they would have been responsible, others due to circumstances over which they had no control.

So many sacred dreams crashed on the streets of far-away lands. One crash was too many, one life too precious. So many cherished hopes were dashed in the glamour, the glitter and the litter of lien cities. And one hope dashed was one hope crushed too many. What remains today is only a memory.

But you are here today. And that makes all the difference. You have not only come home from around the world all in one piece, but you have brought home t gifts of many land. You brought home nothing less than the gold of Cuba, the gold of Sri Lanka and the gold of India. You distinguished yourselves, stood out in the crowds and brought honour to our country. I offer to you my commendations from the bottom of my heart.

It wasn’t fair to expect every one of you top collect all the gold from around the world. But, certainly, all of you have brought home treasures of different kind- you mined the core of your universities and colleges and discovered the soul of your seats of learning. If you came back with the intellectual treasures that animate and sustain the life of scholars and of universities, you brought gold to your country. I offer to you my commendations from the bottom of heart.

The intellectual endeavours of many continents, regions and countries, including our own, are sampled in this congregation. As I mentioned in the little note that I sent personally to you (I could not locate every one’s address!) some ti9me ago, every seat of learning has its own special life.

It is to discover this unique life and how it is expressed in the programmes the university or college offers that scholars come from far and wide. Whether as government scholars or as privately-sponsored scholars, your mission was the same- to get to the heart of your discipline.

Today, I have been asked to share my views on a very complex issue- education and values. I have accepted the challenge not because I am particularly qualified to speak on such a difficult topic, but because I cannot think of education without thinking of values in the same breadth. What is important about values though is that they are not so much to be talked about as lived out. And they operate at all levels- individual, institutional, social, national, and international.

In my scheme of things, values refer to the normative frame that human beings develop to distinguish between categories of right or wrong, truth or falsehood, moral or immoral, or simply good or bad. We have, in the course or our evolution, built a range of notions and beliefs that have now evolved as convenient constructs to define our ethical orientation and guide our life.

Education is all about the cultivation of the entire dimension of individual – physical, social, intellectual, cultural, spiritual, psychological, moral, aesthetic, emotional, personal, and other spheres. It is a process for the wakening and sharpening of one’s sensitivities and sensibilities- such that an individual becomes “more seeing, more hearing, and, above all, more feeling’, as in the language of Joseph Conrad. As a normative endeavour, education is an invitation that gently draws the human mind to look for and to love what is True, and Good and Beautiful.

Look into the heart of all your fields of study. In each of them, there is the grace of great ideas that nurtures and sustains of time and space. What is science but infinite dance of nature? Humanities or liberal arts are an attempt of the human mind to celebrate the unending search for perfection and the limitless configurations of social relations. Philosophy is but an excuse for our undying yearning for the eternal and the immutable.

If this were not the case, we would have stopped teaching science and arts and commerce and allied disciplines long ago. I hope you have discovered a reason for electing to pursue a field beyond the prescribed topics and the chapters in your subjects.