Peace Channel staff and NEISSR faculty at the peace tour to Bhutan from July 14-20. (Photo Courtesy: NEISSR)
Bhutan, July 18 (MExN): A 12 member team of Peace Channel staff and NEISSR faculty met with the former Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji at Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan, on July 16.
The journey to Bhutan was taken up as part of an annual exposure and learning programme. The team was led by Dr C P Anto, Director Peace Channel, Fr Poji, Vice-principal, NEISSR, Kishor, Peace Channel and Dr Deben, Faculty NEISSR. Vitono Haralu of Initiative of Change was also part of the visiting team as consultant-cum-trainer to Peace Channel.
A press release issued by the NEISSR stated that Lyonpo Dorji, who is currently working as the Chairperson of Bhutan Transparency Initiative (BTI), extended warm welcome to the visiting team. During one and half hours interactions between BTI and NEISSR/Peace Channel teams, Lyonpo Kinzang gave a brief background on Bhutan’s transition to Democracy under the most “beloved and visionary leadership” of the former King, Jigme Singye Wangchuk. He also said that BTI is tasked to monitor corruption in the government offices and educate the people on roles and responsibilities of being active citizenry. Though there apparently was a general sense of satisfaction on how the country is marching ahead to democracy there were also undercurrents of fears and apprehensions on how things are changing.
Having closely worked with the King in the most crucial stages of transition, Lyonpo Kinzang also expressed his share of happiness of the fast economic development in material aspects of life and shared deeply held fears and apprehensions about decentralization and devolution of the sovereign power in the hands of the people when people are not fully educated to take active roles of citizens. Like him some of the senior citizens also wondered “is the country going faster than it can control,” the release added.
The release also stated that the following day the team visited the administration office of the Royal University of Bhutan in Thimphu. Dr Phanchung, Research and External Relation Officer of the University, extended warm welcome and took the visiting team from Nagaland a tour of the University administration and its extended institutional campus spread across several districts in the country. The team also had detailed discussions on how the Bhutan education from primary to higher studies are designed to produce human capitals who are founded on strong moral foundations to support and sustain the country’s happiness economy .The visiting team from Nagaland has also been exploring future areas of educational exchange learning programs with several institutions in Bhutan during three days’ stay, it added.
On the way home the team stayed overnight at ANT, Chirang, BTC to get an orientation on FRISBEE game also known as Peace building Game, with a plan to promote the same in Nagaland and the region as part of Peace Channel collaborative programme.
