Bhutan Launches "Mindfulness City" Near Indian Border

Thanh Binh

Bhutan's Gelephu Mindfulness City encourages walking and cycling, promoting mindfulness education alongside wellness centers, health facilities, and eco-tourism...

The Kingdom of Bhutan—the Himalayan nation that utilizes Gross National Happiness (GNH) as the measure of its national development—is preparing to construct the so-called "Gelephu Mindfulness City" (GMC). On November 11, they began raising funds to help launch this ambitious project.

According to  news agency Reuters, Bhutanese officials informed that Gelephu Mindfulness City will be located within a special administrative region, with its own regulations and laws aimed at becoming an economic corridor connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia.

GMC will span an area of over 2,500 km² along the border with India and provide space for businesses in finance, tourism, green energy, technology, healthcare, agriculture, aviation, logistics, education, and more.

The city will encourage walking and cycling to reduce emissions, create green spaces for meditation and relaxation, and promote mindfulness education alongside community activities, health and wellness centers, and eco-tourism.

On November 11, Bhutan announced the launch of a fixed-term deposit scheme to raise capital from non-resident Bhutanese to help build an international airport and other basic infrastructure at GMC.

"This is not just a financial opportunity, but a call to contribute and actively shape our shared vision of a prosperous, mindful, and resilient Bhutan," commented Ujjwal Dahal, CEO of the Gelephu Investment and Development Corporation.

Last week, the GMC website stated that it would issue a 10-year "National Building Bond" to raise $100 million. However, speaking to Reuters on November 11, officials involved in building GMC said there is currently no bond issuance for individuals nor a specific fundraising goal for the entire issuance, without further elaboration.

Bhutan is famous for its philosophy of measuring citizens' quality of life through Gross National Happiness (GNH) rather than GDP. This core philosophy and guiding principle encompasses 9 domains to measure the welfare and happiness of its people. Thus, the Mindfulness City is also designed primarily based on each of these 9 domains, including psychological well-being, health, education, community vitality, and cultural diversity.

As a Buddhist nation of fewer than 800,000 residents nestled between the two billionaire-population nations of India and China, Bhutan is striving to boost its $3 billion economy—which relies heavily on aid, hydropower, and tourism—after being severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. GMC's objective is to attract investment, develop skills, and create employment opportunities within the country.