I was there when GMC began

2026-03-02 - 08:15

By Dorji Dhradhul, Kuzuzangpola Universe! To my fellow volunteers, brothers and sisters, There are moments in the life of a nation that future generations will read about in books, moments when ordinary citizens quietly came together and helped shape an extraordinary future. This is one of those moments. We were not gathered in Gelephu merely as volunteers. We were there as participants in the birth of a national vision and a vision that echoes the profound wisdom of Gross National Happiness (GNH). For me personally, I also had a secret reason, a quiet and deeply personal for joining the GMC Volunteer Program. It is a reason tied to legacy and love for our land. I wanted to be ready to answer a question that will be asked ten or twenty years from now by the world and particularly by our grand children. Perhaps one day my granddaughter will ask: “Grandpa, where were you when Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) began its birth about twenty years ago? Did you participate in building it? My friend Tashi said her grandparents took part in several volunteer programs.” And because I was there, I can answer with the pride of a true child of Palden Drukpa: “Yes, my dear grand daughter – yes, I did. I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands in the 5th Volunteer Program from 21st to 25th February 2026.” And I will remember those dates eternally, because the program ignited on the 46th Birth Anniversary of our Beloved King, the visionary Monarch born on 21st February 1980, whose profound ideas rooted in compassion, mindfulness and sustainability now bloom into the benefits you cherish today. When that day comes, I will not whisper with regret. I will proclaim with gratitude. Because I was there together with thousands of fellow Bhutanese, when history didn’t just unfold; we shaped it with our own hands. History teaches us a simple but powerful truth: Great nations move forward when people and leadership walk together, hand in hand, with unyielding resolve. Consider Singapore in the 1960s: emerging from colonial rule and separation from Malaysia in 1965, it was a impoverished port city with a GDP per capita of just USD 516, plagued by unemployment, housing shortages, and ethnic tensions. Its founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, envisioned transforming it from a third-world backwater into a first-world oasis. With the people’s unwavering support to the leadership, Singapore achieved that miracle. By 1990, its GDP per capita had soared to over USD 11,000, and today it stands at more than USD 84,000, ranking among the world’s top economies in innovation, finance, and quality of life. South Korea, ravaged by the Korean War (1950–1953), was one of the poorest nations on earth, with a GDP per capita of only USD 79 in 1960. Families endured hunger, with average life expectancy barely reaching 50 years. Yet, under President Park Chung-hee, the nation rose to great hieghts again due to the great partnership between leadership and citizens. Citizen’s support was a stunning act of sacrifice, when women donated their wedding rings and personal gold jewelry to fund national projects when national coffers was empty. By 1988, it hosted the Olympics; by 2023, its GDP per capita exceeded USD 34,000, and it leads the world in technology, with giants like Samsung and Hyundai symbolizing its rise from ashes to global powerhouse. I share these examples for a reason. They remind us that when leadership and citizens unite with shared purpose and unbreakable belief, transformation is not just possible, it’s inevitable. And today, in Bhutan, we stand on even firmer ground than those nations did in their darkest hours. We are blessed with visionary leadership incomparable to any other. His Majesty The King, who envisions not just a mere growth for Bhutan but a harmonious prosperity for the world. And we have a people whose commitment to nation-building surges like the mighty rivers of our Himalayas, growing stronger with each passing day. For this reason, I humbly say with conviction: Bhutan’s journey forward will outpace Singapore’s or South Korea’s. Where they took decades, we can achieve in years because we walk under the enlightened guidance of our Beloved King, fortified by the collective strength of a united people, and inspired by our unique GNH philosophy that prioritizes well-being over wealth alone. When we gathered as volunteers in Gelephu, each of us carried a dream for Bhutan. A Bhutan of boundless opportunity, where every child can thrive. A Bhutan of unbreakable harmony, rooted in compassion and equity. A Bhutan of unleashed creativity and prosperity, blending ancient wisdom with modern innovation. A Bhutan that the world not only admires but emulates a beacon of mindful development in a chaotic world. But dreams remain whispers in the wind unless people rise to act. A nation is never built in a single day. It is forged step by step... hand by hand... generation by generation, through acts of selfless service that echo the spirit of our ancestors who built the dzongs and preserved our sovereignty against all odds. The work we did in Gelephu, clearing land, planting grasses and creating water ponds for ecological corridors may have seemed humble. But it was a vital thread in the tapestry of our nation’s destiny. If we listen beyond the clamor of tools and footsteps, we hear something profound: The heartbeat of Bhutan awakening, pulsing with promise and power. We are fortunate to live in an era when Bhutan is guided by leadership that gazes far beyond the horizon, envisioning a future where GNH illuminates the path for humanity. GMC is one such radiant vision. GMC is not simply a project of roads, buildings, and infrastructure. It is a Royal Vision, announced by His Majesty The King in His 116th National Day Address on 17th December 2023, to create a 2500-square-kilometer special administrative zone in southern Bhutan. This city will serve as a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, fostering green energy, mindfulness-based education, cutting-edge technology, and eco-tourism all while generating thousands of high-skilled jobs and attracting global investments without compromising our pristine environment or human and spiritual values. Yes! No vision however grand can soar without the wings of its people. By volunteering, we embodied something eternal: Belief in Bhutan. Belief in our future. Belief in our leadership- Our Beloved Monarch. We are proud to realize that the spirit of solidarity is Bhutan’s unbreakable fortress. Not our mountains alone. Not our resources in isolation. But our unity, the thunderous force that has sustained us through centuries. And if we continue to march together, people and leadership, as one indomitable family, then no dream for Bhutan is beyond reach. We will build a nation where happiness is not a pursuit, but a reality. Years from now, when GMC rises as a global symbol of “ENLIGHTENED PROSPERITY,” home to thriving communities, mindfulness retreats, vehicle free spaces for cyclying and walk, world-class universities, and sustainable industries, finance and banking, we will stand tall and say with quiet, unshakeable pride: We were there. We believed. We built it. Because in the end, A nation is not built in a day. It is forged one step at a time, one heart at a time. And in Gelephu- Together we took that step for Bhutan. Let this be our pledge: To carry this fire forward, inspiring every Bhutanese to join the march. For Pelden Drukpa Gyalo! Wangchuck Dynasty Gyalo! Miwang Ngadag Gyalpo Gyalo! Creativity Catalyst, a volunteer with the 5th GMC Volunteer Drive