GNH youth leadership programme (GYPL) was conducted in Thimphu to guide and inspire youths to realise their potential as future leaders.

The programme ended on July 13.

GNH Centre for Bhutan (GNHCB) organised the five-day workshop.

Themed “Bringing forward the leader in you”, the programme ensured that participants were aware of the conditions regarding employment and leadership. It also included values of Driglam Namzha.

Students of Taktse College of Language and Cultural Studies’ (TCLC) project titled ‘Promoting community vitality’ won the best GNH prototype.  

The project was an outcome of the GYLP conducted earlier this year. The project revolved around the positive impacts of the reduction of cellphone use such as the time management, less money wasted on data usage and better community vitality, among others.

Other projects stressed on the importance of mindfulness, waste management, creating awareness on GNH, promoting wellbeing and demonstration of project implementation.

Officiating executive director of GNH Centre for Bhutan (GNHCB), Sonam Tsoki Tenzin, said that it was encouraging to see youth embrace GNH values and to share ideas on how they can contribute towards realizing GNH as a collective responsibility.

“Learning and understanding GNH together and what it means to be Bhutanese, places a great responsibility on each of us,” she said.

A participant from TCLC, Sonam Phuntsho, said that the programme was meaningful as he learned about GNH. “The Centre has given us a great learning experience and taught us the fundamental values of GNH and leadership. I am happy that I attended the programme.”

Another participant from Royal Thimphu College, Wesel Bida, said that she enjoyed designing GNH poject prototypes. “While we attend a lot of workshops, it is hard to find such an opportunity in our lives where we can come up with our own projects to understand GNH on a deeper level.”

About 30 students attended the workshop from seven colleges, which were conducted in winter and summer this year.

GNHCB plans on conducting GYLPs in the future.  

Staff reporter