Earthquake hit Bhutan
A severe earthquake hit eastern Bhutan on 21 September, 14.53 local time. Twelve people are reported to have been killed, 47 were wounded, 4595 houses were damaged as well as 116 schools, 25 Hospitals and BHU's, 495 Chortens, 282 Lhakangs and 7 Dzongs.
“It's an enormous figure for Bhutan and this disaster has struck the rural parts of the country. Home is the ultimate refuge for safety and security for these people. But thousands of people are still scared to even step inside their own homes,” according to the Prime Minister, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley.
  
Bhutan + Partners gathered information on the impact of the earthquake for the Prince ClausFund and brought the Fund in contact with the Government of Bhutan. Bhutan + Partners also raised funds for two families who'd lost their homes in Eastern Bhutan.
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article kuensel
Grand piano as token of friendship
The year 2008 was a special year for the Bhutanese
With the coronation of the fifth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and festivities on 6, 7 and 8  November; the first general elections held in March, the constitution endorsed in July and the Royal Centenary celebrations throughout the country. Bhutan + Partners contributed to the festivities in 2008 by organizing two classical piano concerts in Bhutan.
Grand Piano for Bhutan was a challenging cultural program by Bhutan + Partners and Chenzig Entertainment, Bhutan.
Information:
www.bhutan-piano.org
fact sheet
sponsor brochure
The Coronation Concerts were part of a ambitious 42-day celebration of street music, food, exhibitions, sports, concerts, cultural shows, parades initiated by a group of Bhutanese to mark the Coronation and centenary Celebrations.
Mr. C Klein - Honorary Consul of Bhutan in the Netherlands
 Mr. Cornelis (Kees) Klein has been appointed Honorary Consul in the Netherlands. Mr. Klein was born in Amsterdam, studied in Rotterdam and worked for UNDP en UNCDF. Kees Klein went to Bhutan in 1981, where he met his wife Namgay Dem. He retired in 2007. These days Mr Klein and his wife live in the Netherlands with their four sons.
Mr Klein has 35 years of experience and extensive knowledge in the field of development cooperation. He was involved in designing development projects and programmes, as well as coordination and evaluation
 The circle of karma by Kunzang Choden publiced in The Netherlands
De Geus and Oxfam/Novib have published Tsomo's Karma, the Dutch title of Kunzang Choden's novel The Circle of Karma, in May 2009. The Prince Claus Fund together with publisher De Geus and Bhutan+Partners invited Kunzang Choden to come to the Netherlands for a book presentation on 2 July 2009.
The Circle of Karma is Kunzang Choden's first novel. It is rich in detailed descriptions of ritual life. The novel follows fifteen-year-old Tsomo travelling to distant places, across Bhutan, India and Nepal. She embarks on what becomes her life journey, in which she begins to find herself, and grows as a person and a woman.
Manon Smits translated the novel and was assisted by Erica Sluyters, Bhutan + Partners, with the context specific situations throughout the translation.
Tashi's Karma: hard cover, 379 pages, € 19,90,
ISBN 978 90 445 1448 3, NUR 302.
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Bhutanese literature finds its way to dutch readers
 De Geus and Oxfam Novib will publish The Circle of Karma, by Kunzang Choden -Bhutan - in the Netherlands in 2009. Erica Sluyters, Bhutan + Partners , helped Manon Smits, the translator, with the context specific situations throughout the translation.
The Circle of Karma is Kunzang Choden's first novel. It is rich in detailed descriptions of ritual life. The novel follows fifteen-year-old Tsomo travelling to distant places, across Bhutan, India and Nepal. She embarks on what becomes her life journey, in which she begins to find herself, and grows as a person and a woman.
We are excited that our efforts to get the book published in the Netherlands will finely bring Tsomo to the Dutch readers in May 2009.
Bhutanese Losar in the Netherlands
The Bhutanese community in the Netherlands celebrated losar on 1 March 2009 in Ellecom.
Enjoy the pictures by Kees Klein
The end - and the beginning - of history.
 On the morning of November 1, the third day of the ninth Bhutanese month, His Majesty the King was empowered as the Druk Gyalpo in a unique and sacred empowerment ceremony, which symbolised his transcendence of the ordinary and the temporal and the personification of divine wisdom.
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Coronation Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk
His majesty the King of Bhutan wwas officially crowned the fifth Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan during a ceremony at Punakha. The Government has declared a week long holiday from November 6 for the celebrations. It was the desire of His Majesty the King that the Bhutanese citizens offer His Majesty just the Tashi Khadar for the coronation. read more
Rudolf Spoor, Dutch film manager, was invited by the Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley to record the coronation and the celebrations together with a team of the Bhutan Broadcasting Services. Mrs. Sigrid Deters, journalist for the Wereldomroep made a portrait of Rudolf Spoor at work in Bhutan. She reported on the festivities and democratic changes in Bhutan: press release
Himalaya Trial 2008
The Himalaya Trial 2008 flag off took place at St. Gerlach, on 16 Oktober 2008. Sixty seven participants drove their classical cars over land to Bhutan where they arrived in the capital Thimphu on 22 November 2008.
Read more about their adventure:www.thetrial.nl
 
 Road to Bhutan
Twenty participants left the Netherlands with Thimphu - Bhutan - as their final destination. They left the Netherlands on 26 September 2008 and arrived at the Bhutan border on 19 November 2008.Two musicians, members of the group, gave performances along the road. They contributed to the public concert in Thimphu on 23 november. Their cultural and musical tour can be followed through the website of Road to Bhutan: www.roadtobhutan.com
 Statement PM H.E. Yigmi Y. Thinley at UN in New York
H.E. Jigmi Y. Thinley the Prime Minister of Bhutan spoke at the 63rd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on 26 September 2008. Among others he pointed out the importance of sustainable and equitable socioeconomic development, environmental conservation, promotion of culture and good governance.
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After the schism, comes the healing
The first order of the day for MPS returning to their constituencies may be to bring about reconciliation of opposing factions. read more
Constitution validated in Bhutan
History was being made as the Constitution, mother of all laws, was validated in the highest traditional order, signalling a new era of Bhutanese polity on the 24 July, 2008. read more
 Meeting the "Other"
Living in the Present, Gender and Sustainability in Bhutan
On Wednesday 10th of September 2008 Rieki Crins took her doctoral degree at the University for Humanistics in Utrecht. In her research Rieki Crins describes her 17 years experience with Bhutan, a unique nation in the Himalayas. read more
summary thesis (in Dutch)
Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi visited the Netherlands
Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi, Minister for Labour and Human Resources, R oyal Government of Bhutan - MSM Alumnus 2004 - visited the Netherlands from 9 to 11 September 2008. His Excellency spoke at the Graduation Ceremony 2008 at Maastricht School of Management on 10 September and met officials and friends in Maastricht.
31 July, 2008 - To create a platform for helping aspiring Bhutanese s tudy in the Netherlands and to provide information and additional academic support, the Netherlands alumni association of Bhutan (NAAB) was launched in the capital on July 29. read more
Netherlands ambassador Bob Hiensch at the launch
3opReis
 3opReis is a Dutch travel program broadcasted on Dutch television. One of the 3 items of the program was Floortje Dessings' journey from Amsterdam to Asia by train, car and boat with Bhutan as her final destination.
Bhutan + Partners adviced the producers and assisted in the logistical arrangements.
To view the programme, link to uitzending gemist
The program will soon be published on DVD by Llink
More information:
www.3opreis.nl
lees artikel Floortje
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New DPT cabinet Bhutan - Prime minister Jigmi Y Thinley
 
view the new cabinet
Results General Elections in Bhutan - March 2008
The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT-Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party) has won the National Assembly elections with an overwhelming majority, 45 of the 47 seats, and was formally declared as the Ruling Party.
The voter turn-out was 79.4 percent
The People’s Democratic Party will be the Opposition Party, having won 2 seats in the National Assembly .
DPT endorses Jigmi Y Thinley as Prime Minister
5 April, 2008 - A total of 150 Druk Phuensum Tshogpa members and key supporters unanimously endorsed the nomination of the party president, Jigmi Y Thinley, as the Prime Minister of the newly elected DPT government, at a party meeting today in Thimphu.
The Prime Minister elect outlined the party’s immediate plans, which is adopting the draft Constitution and structuring the draft 10th Plan to the party’s manifesto. read more
More information and articles:
column by Dorji Wangchuck
And the winners are....
BBC NEWS
CNN
Nu.tv
www.election-bhutan.org.bt
www.bhutan.gov.bt
www.bhutantimes.com
www.bhutanobserver.com
www.kuenselonline.com
Bhutan, Birth of a Democracy
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Independent news radio station
Bhutan's capital city Thimphu gets the first independent news radio station. Centennial Radio started the regular broadcast on 8th March coinciding with International Women Day.
The inaugural broadcast saw a very high level of participation of prominent Bhutanese women. "Centennial" Radio, as the name denotes, is dedicated to the hundred years of Monarchy in Bhutan. Centennial Radio is targeting general urban audience above 25 years with programming centered on news, current affairs, public service announcements and programming on thematic issues such as maternal health, teenage pregnancy, democracy, values and traditions, press freedom, HIV/AIDS, etc. The total listening population is estimated to be around 50,000 out of the city's 100,000 people.
Given the importance of youth, the station also carries entertainment and education programs for youth and children.
UNESCO is supporting in establishment of a news studio, training of journalist and producers and equipment. Other supporting partners include AIBD, Konrad Adenuar Foundation, ABU and Deutche Welle Academy.
Centennial Radio is a division of Chenzig Media that has 15 regular staff and 15 part-time employees. One of the main objectives of Centennial Radio is to create media pluralism as Bhutan transits to parliamentary democracy. Centennial Radio plans to cover Western Bhutan by the end of the year and the whole country by 2009.
Director of Centennial Radio is Dorji Wangchuck, one of our partners in Bhutan.
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Ambassador of the Netherlands presents credentials in Bhutan
The ambassador of the Netherlands to Bhutan Bob Henry Hiensch presented his credentials to His Majesty the King of Butan on March 14, 2008. read more...
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His Majesty the King of Bhutan chosen as young global leader
His Majesty the King has been chosen as one of the young global leaders by the World Economic Forum.
The honour is bestowed each year by the World Economic Forum to recognize and acknowledge young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
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Children & Youth festival 2007 "Express Yourself"
Children and youth from all over Bhutan are invited to express themselves on the on-going political changes taking place in the country. They could choose the relevant topic of their choice within the broad theme of Youth & Democracy. They could express in any of the seven forms of art (painting, photography, poetry, essays, songs, short films or documentaries and drama & street theatre). Any participant can send one entry per category but can participate in more than one category. Please note the respective deadlines and competition criteria.
The festival will culminate into a three-day public event coinciding with the Birthday of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. Finalists in each category will either perform or exhibit during the festival. Attractive cash prizes and certificates will be awarded to all finalists and winners.
The festival comprises of two main activities:
1. Competition
2. Festival & Exhibition (10-12 Nov 2007)
This is the first annual Children & Youth Festival organized by a NCWC, UNICEF, UNDP, Department of Youth & Sports, Youth Development Fund, VAST, The New Theatre Company, Kuzoo FM, Tarayana Foundation and Kids Media Club.
 
Bhutan+Partners supported the activities by sending 60 disposable cameras to Bhutan. The cameras were distributed to youngster who'd followed a training course with Dorji Wangchuk. At the end of the course each student used a camera to express his or her view on democracy and changes taking place in Bhutan.
www.kuenselonline.com
www.bhutanobserver.bt
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Bhutan National Day Celebration
Presentation by Rinchen Dorji on the occasion of the Bhutan National Day celebration in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on 5th December 2007
readmore about the speech of His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
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 Royal visit to Bhutan
His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange and Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands arrived in the kingdom on a four day royal visit from October 28 to 31.His Majesty the 5th King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck received their Royal Hignesses at the Tashichodzong.The NOS and EO broadcasted a summery of the official visit of Their Royal Highnesses to Bhutan.check: uitzending gemist??
more impressions:
www.royalportraits.nl
www.nos.nl
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Trio Druk-Yul performed in the Netherlands.
Druk-Yul plays sacred Buddhist songs from Bhutan. Namkha Lhamo and Lhamo Dukpa are official singers for the royal family. Their powerful vocals are accompanied by singer and instrumentalist Jigme Drukpa.
The Trio Druk-Yul performed Concerts in Amsterdam (tropentheater) and at wereldculturencentum in Utrecht.
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Officials Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) trained in the Netherlands
A group of 15 Bhutanese form the Royal University of Bhutan visited the Netherlands for a tailor made training programme on University Administration and Management. The programme was organised by the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Centre for International Cooperation from 13 to 28 October 2007.
 
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Standard Cost Model Core Group visited The Netherlands
A core group of eight people, members from the Royal Government as well as the private sector in Bhutan, visited the Netherlands for a study tour from 12 to 16 September. The focus of the tour was to understand the Standard Cost Model methodology and OSS operational concept in the area of permits, licenses, taxes, subsidies, procurement, information gathering/accessibility, annual reports and service delivery. The processes involve simplification, standardization, cancellation of obligation, removal, reduction or merging of regulation, improvement of service delivery, and application of ICT, revision and adjusting new working methods. The group followed a programme with the Ministry of Finance in the Hague and exchanged ideas with a dairy farmer and Front Desk Officer Work and Income on the tours' focus.
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Jigme Drukpa and Dorji Wangchuck at premiere "A way of coming home."
Jigme Drukpa and Dorji Wangchuck were special guests at the premiere of the movie "A way of coming home" at the festival 'Film by the sea' in Vlissingen on 14 September 2007. The movie is a compilation of the Umoja project by the Dutch rock band Bløf. "A way of coming home" is the title of the song recorded in Bhutan together with Jigme Drukpa. Dorji Wangchuck made a documentairy on the encounter between Jigme and the Bløf members. Jigme performed togeher with Bløf in Vlissingen the next day together with other participants of the Umoja project.
 
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Journalists from BBS follow course in The Netherlands
A group of 15 Bhutanese journalists form the Bhutan Broadcasting Services came to the Netherlands for a three-week-Tailor Made Training Course. The programme 'Reporting Elections and Governments in Transition' was organised at RNTC in Hilversum from 15 August to 5 September 2007. RNTC will conduct a follow up on the course in Bhutan in October 2007.
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Photo album: BLØF in Bhutan
 The rock band BLØF presented the photo album “Bløf in Bhutan, Rockin` the Himalaya Kingdom” in a bookshop in Middelburg on Saturday 18 August 2007. The book is a beautiful reflection on their journey to Bhutan as part of the Umoja project: a colourful book that illustrates why this journey was so special to the members of the band.
The book is available in the book shop and through www.blof.nl ISBN 90-74576-85-0
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DVD on Bløf in Bhutan available now
 Rockin' the Himalaya Kindom is a documentary on the first ever concert in Bhutan.It is a heart-warming story of two worlds coming together, of artists from two cultures engaged in one common pursuit – unity and peace through music. Bløf traveled to Bhutan as part of their international UMOJA project.
To order contact Bhutan + Partners
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 Bhutan teaches tolerance and mutual respect
Two Dutch women started teaching primairy school children about tolerance and mutual respect. They developed a interactive programme and 'travel' with the children to Bhutan to speak about happiness.
read more (in Dutch): www.umoja4kids.nl
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 Bio Bhutan
Bio Bhutan is a pioneer enterprise that produces and markets natural and organic certified products from Bhutan for Bhutanese and international markets.
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For more information about the purchase of Bio Bhutan products contact Bhutan + Partners.
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