His Majesty the King granted an audience to 174 students who received scholarships to study abroad after excelling in their Class XII examinations.
His Majesty the King congratulated the students for their achievements so far, and said that they must now compete and excel among students from all over the world.
His Majesty advised them to continue to work hard and become capable individuals, who can contribute positively to their families, communities, and the nation.
His Majesty reminded the students that along with academic excellence, it was vital for individuals to be emotionally intelligent in order to succeed in life.
“What we call “Driglam-choesum”– the manner with which we work, communicate, interact and behave with each other, is a precious legacy, safeguarded and passed on for generations by our ancestors, and there is great wisdom in it,” His Majesty said.
His Majesty said Bhutanese have high emotional intelligence, because of their upbringing with “Driglam-choesum”. “As a result, we have safeguarded and protected our country successfully for millennia. If we value our cultural legacy, and recognize its importance, we will continue to succeed, as individuals and as a Nation.”
His Majesty also reminded the students that as ambassadors of our culture, people and nation, they must represent the country well wherever they go.
His Majesty then told the students three things about Bhutan that they must always bear in mind:
“Our country is a jewel of the world– it is a country blessed by Guru Rinpoche and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, and has always remained a proud sovereign nation, where the people enjoy happiness and peace today due to the labors of our ancestors. If we are to continue to safeguard all that is precious and special about our country in the 21st century, our journey ahead will not be without challenges.”
His Majesty said Bhutan’s greatest strength and biggest challenge is the same- its small population. “We must make up for what we lack in wealth and resources with talent. But being small also means that we have the advantage of speed. Everything that we do can be done faster, better and more efficiently than any other country. But as a small country with limited wealth and resources, we cannot afford to have the problems that large countries face.”
His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen then spoke to individual students over tea.
