Bhutan and Japan are marking 40 years of diplomatic relations, with renewed focus on strengthening cooperation between local communities. A symposium in Thimphu brought together representatives from the two countries to explore collaboration in education, youth development and helping communities improve their lives.
From traditional handmade paper and arts education to youth development and community building, Bhutan and Japan are looking to build on decades of friendship through stronger local partnerships.
The symposium brought together the mayors of Hamada City and Ama Town in Japan, along with Bhutanese representatives, to share experiences and explore new areas of collaboration.
“Hamada City aims to strengthen art-based education in Bhutan by encouraging participating teachers to share their learning with more educators. Moving forward, it hopes to build a mutual, two-way exchange where both Bhutan and Hamada City share experiences, improve art education, and apply the benefits in their respective communities,” said Hiroki Miura, Mayor of Hamada City, Japan.
The two Japanese communities have maintained exchanges with Bhutan over the years, particularly in traditional handmade paper, arts education, project-based learning and community development.
“Exchanges with Bhutan have strengthened connections and encouraged residents of Ama Town, which faces population decline and ageing, to take greater initiative in shaping their community’s future. Looking ahead, we hope to build on these ties by welcoming Bhutanese students and professionals for longer stays, deepening trust and friendship between our communities,” said Kazuhiko Ohe, Mayor of Ama Town in Japan.
Looking ahead, participants say there is scope to expand these exchanges through greater engagement among children, local government officials and creators, allowing communities to share skills, knowledge and cultural values.
“Learning about community was one of the best things I could learn, because when learning about community, it’s not always identifying the issue, but rather looking for the main struggle of what the community, what the people are really in need of, rather than just assuming what they have to get. So community could help, and then trying to bring solutions for them was really eye-opening for us,” said Sanjita Mongar, a student.
Organisers say stronger cooperation among local governments, educational institutions and communities will be important in addressing shared challenges and developing new ideas.
By building on existing exchanges and exploring new areas of partnership, the symposium aims to strengthen mutual understanding and ensure that the friendship between Bhutan and Japan continues to benefit future generations.
The symposium is part of efforts to deepen people-to-people connections and expand cooperation beyond national-level ties, bringing communities in Bhutan and Japan closer through shared learning and collaboration.
Anita Chhetri
