Dungar Dzong, Pangbisa, Paro
From October 1-3 the Bhutan Innovation Forum took place at Dungkar Dzong (fortress) in Pangbisa, Paro. Dungkar Dzong is the largest and the first dzong to be built in the 21st century, by His Majesty the King. “Dungkar” refers to a conch, a ritual object used in Buddhist ceremonies. It is also the birthplace of Bhutan’s Royal family.
The Dzong has several entrances, over fifty rooms, some of which are large enough for seminars.
It also has an utse, a central tower, which is common for all dzongs. For the forum, most of the rooms were converted into exhibition spaces, cafes, and networking spaces. The dzong also has a lift, making it a modern dzong. Additionally, The Royal Academy uses the dzong for classroom space.
Bhutan Innovation Forum
The Bhutan Innovation Forum primarily launched the workings of the Gelephu Mindfulness City to Bhutan and the world. The Gelephu Mindfulness City is a royal project that aims to build a 2,500 sq kms city in the south of Bhutan, in a city called Gelephu.
I attended day 3 of the forum for the session “Brand Bhutan Leveraging Sustainability.” Speakers included Carissa Nimah, Chief Marketing Officer of the Department of Tourism, Tshewang Wangchuk, Executive Director of Bhutan Foundation and Heidi Kindberg, Vice President, Sustainability, Warner Bros. Discovery. Shoma Chaudhury from India was the moderator.
On the topic of ecotourism, Carisa Nimah shared that focusing on guests’ experience would be crucial over emphasizing on infrastructure. She shared that the country does something to you, that people change when they come here. Nimah spoke positively of Bhutan’s tourism policy. She shared that the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), a tax that tourists have to pay during their visit to Bhutan, acts as a “guard rail.”
Tshewang Wangchuk shared that Bhutan has had a long history of independence and that its culture is not just for “show.” Wangchuk stated, unaffectedly, that we should look at our authenticity from which we can build new things. He also shared that we should not lose the essence of who we are, a plea I heard from another government official, outside of the session.
The forum also served as a networking space. I not only made friends from Spain, Australia, and the United States, but also reunited with friends and relatives. It was nice to see so many familiar places. These faces included former ministers and former prime minister, Dr. Lotay Tshering, who was named the governor of Gelephu Mindfulness City.
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