This discussion examines Bhutan’s shift in understanding happiness, from ancient Buddhist principles focused on spiritual well-being and community harmony, to a modern approach centered around Gross National Happiness (GNH). Historically, happiness in Bhutan was tied to inner peace and connection with nature, but with modernization, Bhutan developed GNH to measure well-being across various domains like education, health, and environment.

The session will explore how Bhutan balances its traditional values with contemporary development goals, and how the GNH framework continues to shape policies aimed at promoting a holistic sense of happiness for its citizens.