A two-week long workshop on Implementation and Practice of Gross National Happiness and Universal Human Values is underway at the Gaeddu College of Business Studies (GCBS). Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck graced the opening ceremony on Saturday.
Addressing the gathering Her Royal Highness said with modernisation and development, more attention is being given on economic well-being and less on emotional happiness. Her Royal Highness added that development must serve human purpose, which is to create enabling conditions for people to pursue happiness.
“Because of the way development has been perceived and in this race to gain material wealth, we are beginning to sacrifice everything, even quality times spent with our families.
“We are chasing after material things in hope that they will bring us happiness. Through advertisements, the corporate world tells us how to live and what to eat. By the time we realise that we have forgotten to live, it is often too late,” said Her Royal Highness.
According to Dasho Pema Thinley, the Vice Chancellor of the Royal University of Bhutan, the workshop would help train the faculty of the Royal University of Bhutan who would in turn deliver the Gross National Happiness and Universal Human Values programme to the students.
He said since Universal Human Values programme is consistent with the GNH values, the programme has been introduced as a compulsory non-credited programme in all colleges from last year. This is programme, he said, is one of the means adopted by RUB in their endeavor of instilling GNH values in all the colleges under it.
A major portion of the workshop is focused on understanding all dimensions and levels of human existence. It is to start a process of self-exploration in the participants.
A total of about 119 participants including 13 international participants and 73 RUB faculty are taking part in the workshop.
