The First Black-Necked Crane Fashion Collection

Inspired by Bhutan

Pleased to announce our new project 'Inspired by Bhutan'. You can follow us on www.inspiredbybhutan.com

GNH of Business Conference and Certificate

This week, the 7. International Conference on Gross National Happiness took place in Thimphu, Bhutan. The gathering of about 350 people focused on applying GNH in the business sector. Honourable Prime Minister of Bhutan and Dasho Karma Ura from the Centre for Bhutan Studies and GNH opened the event. On the first day, I presented a paper we had jointly submitted with Prof. Laszlo Zsolnai from the Corvinus University of Budapest about GNH rating for companies and Buddhist values in business.

I look forward to seeing GNH in Business in practice from 2018.

Support a Bhutanese child to go to school

For years, we have been proudly and happily supporting a Bhutanese child who is raised by an illiterate  single mother in Thimphu with very limited income. By covering her primary school expenses each year with a modest yearly donation of 100 USD (6000 Ng) through the Loden Foundation, we could help make a positive impact on their lives. 

Wish you make a difference? Please consider supporting a student in Bhutan by clicking on the photo below or simply visiting www.loden.org!

Kadinchey! Thank you!

Electricity in Bhutan

As many of you have asked for this information, here is a guide on electric plugs in Bhutan (source : Lonely Planet)

Did you know that the electricity that you use in Bhutan is 'made in Bhutan' ? Cheap, clean energy produced by hydropower. However, hydropower stations built on the country's rivers have certain undesired side effects re. the ecosystem. Hopefully, the current and future projects will not create irreversible damage. 

Hungarian and British archers in Bhutan

The national sport in Bhutan is archery. Hungary, my country, also has long archery tradition, so for me it was obvious that a Bhutan-Hungary Archery Match would take place one day. To make it happen, I initiated the first visit of Hungarian traditional archers to Bhutan working with Roland Csaki, ambassador of the Hungary-based International Archery Association and dr Kinzang Dorji, president of the Bhutanese Indigenous Games and Sports Association, BIGSA. 

Due to relentless efforts of our Bhutanese hosts, last March the Hungarian team of seven arrived in Bhutan and played three friendly matches agains local teams. In addition, they demonstrated their distinctive archery and combatting skills to entertain and educate their hosts and the audience. In Thimphu, it was great honor to meet with HRH Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, president of the Bhutan Olympic Committee who himself is a dedicated and skilled archer. 

Considering the great success of our first cultural exchange program, we all look forward to continuing the discovery of our traditions and cultures!

Traditional ceremony to kick off the match 

HRH Jigyel Ugyen Wancghuck learns about Hungarian traditional bows and arrows from Peter Nahoczki.

Roland Csaki tries to hit the target from 140 meters.

The Hungarian delegation with HRH Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuk and dr Kinzang Dorji, former PM of Bhutan

On the same archery ground, about two weeks later, HRH Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuk welcomed two "British archers": the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who bravely tried the Bhutanese bows and arrows and had lots of fun.

The Prince explains to his guests 

Getting closer to the target

The Duke tries to apply what he was told. His wife is watching. 

Kate Middleton was allowed to play, but Bhutanese women are not permitted to play traditional archery.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BHUTANESE ARCHERY HERE.

Do Angry Birds make youth happier in Bhutan?

In 2012, I posted about the Angry Birds phenomena in Bhutan and how popular the computer game was among the youth. Also I wrote about the International Day of Happiness which is celebrated every year on March 20th and was inspired by Bhutan's Gross National Happiness. 

Now, for this year's Happiness Day, Angry Birds and Happiness meet! Watch the special videos to decide if Angry Birds - in other words: modernity - increases happiness in Bhutan or not.

In this video UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon also becomes an Angry Bird:

Prime Minister of Bhutan at TED: Bhutan is carbon negative.

Successful crowdfunding campaign for the first Hungarian-Bhutanese movie

10,000 Euros have been raised successfully for the first Hungarian-Bhutanese documentary film "Inseparables". 

To learn more about the project click on Christiano Ronaldo below.

The first Bhutanese-Hungarian coproduction film

Two inseparable friends TASHI and TSHERING break with family tradition and fight for their modern dream in the isolated Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.

INSEPARABLES is located in a tiny kingdom in almost the most beautiful spot on the globe with fantastic people and incredible stories. A small group of young but extremely motivated girls coming from the most rural and isolated areas of the Himalayas - where the television was only introduced in 1999 - are trying to become footballers and build a modern career for the first time in a place where a Buddha statue and a Ronaldo poster can coexist next to each other. It is a modern tale of a forgotten part of the globe that you can rarely find in our uniformalized and globalized world any more.

Read MORE and support the project's crowdfunding campaign.

Meeting with great friends in Thimphu

Together two days ago in Thimphu with members of the Hungary-Bhutan Friendship Society and Kezang D. Wangmo, MP, Karma Tshering, filmmaker, Kunzang Wangmo, GM of Terma Linca Hotel, and Thinley Wangchuk, owner of Namdruk Bhutan Travel. Thank you for the great night!

My new book on Bhutan will be published late September

My very first book has been written in Hungarian on the Kingdom of Bhutan: information for travellers, brief history of Bhutan with key historical figures and Buddhist masters such as Guru Rinpoche, the Shabdrung, Pema Lingpa, Drukpa Kunley; the Wangchuck dynasty, modernisation, festivals, recipes, personal stories of my journeys, interviews with Bhutanese, dreams, poems, and 32 pages of colour pictures.

This is the first comprehensive book about Bhutan ever published in Hungary.

More details and ordering: www.bhutankonyv.hu

Bhutan cannot be considered as a seismic gap or a relatively safe place anymore.

Interview with a Hungarian seismologist  from the Swiss Seismological Service who has recently studied Bhutan. Very important advices in terms of educating people and changing the way houses are built in Bhutan.

https://www.ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2014/05/bhutan-earthquakes.html

Thank you, Lonely Planet

In the latest Lonely Planet Bhutan it was great to see that they thanked me and a Belgian friend of mine, Elien for our helpful hints on the previous edition. It always good to see your impact as a user of a product.

Hungarian movie is showcased in Thimphu !

What a nice surprise: the award-winning film of my friend Agnes Kocsis titled "Fresh Air" will be showcased in Thimphu at the EU Film Festival in Bhutan. 

Showtime is on 25 Oct Saturday at 2pm at City Cinema Hall 1.