Volunteers turn handwritten messages into Guinness World Record in Paro

2026-03-26 - 09:41

Nearly 200 volunteers from five countries have set a new Guinness World Record for the longest chain of envelopes in Paro. Participants from Bhutan, Canada, Australia, the United States of America, and China connected more than 11,000 handwritten envelopes into a single continuous chain yesterday. The effort broke the previous record of 10,555 envelopes. The event was organised by Heart Chorus Association International, a Canadian-based non-profit organisation, As the record attempt began, the basketball court at Paro College of Education slowly filled with envelopes as volunteers carefully laid out thousands across the floor. One by one, they were linked together, forming a long chain of handwritten messages from people around the world, arranged into two heart shapes. Each envelope carried a message of kindness or blessing written by students, volunteers and supporters from different countries, all sharing a simple intention of passing on encouragement and goodwill. “We are living in the age of AI. Today, we can generate many things, and we do not even have to write letters anymore. But I still believe there are some things we must do with our own hands, to remind people that even in the age of AI, we still share a human connection,” said Eva Wong, Founder, Heart Chorus Association International. Organisers said the act of writing by hand is central to the initiative. At a time when most communication happens online, they hope the activity encourages people to pause, reflect and express kindness in a more personal way. For the students of Paro College of Education, the event was also seen as a lesson that extends beyond the classroom. “This activity shows that our hearts are not only within ourselves but can reach beyond us. It is about learning how kindness and compassion can be shared with students and the wider community,” said Tempa Gyeltshen, Student Service Officer, Paro College of Education, Paro. “As teachers, we have to go beyond simply teaching lessons. We work closely with many students and guide them in different ways. Activities like this help student teachers understand the importance of empathy and connection,” said Tempa Gyeltshen, Student Service Officer, Paro College of Education, Paro. For many participants, the event served as a reminder of how rare face-to-face interactions have become. “China has a very large population, yet it chose Bhutan for this record attempt. I think it reminds us Bhutanese that we are capable of achieving anything if we put our minds to it. We just need to look for the right opportunities,” said Dawa Penjor, a student of Paro College of Education, Paro. “This event meant a lot to me. Today, most people are busy with their phones, and communication happens through the internet. We rarely interact in person. Activities like this remind us how important real human interaction is in our lives,” said Ugyen Zam, another student, Paro College of Education, Paro. What makes the initiative unique, however, is what happens after the record attempt. Instead of keeping the envelopes as a display, organisers plan to send them back to schools and volunteers who helped write them. “We do not keep the letters after the record attempt. Some may be preserved, but most are returned to the schools and volunteers who wrote them. They will then pass the letters on to strangers. So, while the world record ends here, the message of kindness continues to travel,” said Eva Wong, Founder, Heart Chorus Association International, Paro. The initiative began in Toronto in 2015 with the first world record attempt and has since been organised every two to three years in cities including Toronto, Sydney and locations in China to continue spreading the message. As the attempt was officially recorded as a new world record, organisers say the achievement itself is only part of the story. While the record may last just a day, they hope the messages of kindness inside the envelopes will continue travelling long after they leave the court in Paro Karma Samten Wangda, Paro Edited by Sonam Pem