The village of Giethoorn in the Netherlands is unique because it has no roads or cars, only channels. Known as the "Venice of the North", the village was founded in 1230 and all transportation is done by boat through the channels instead of roads. It receives many tourists each year, especially large numbers of Chinese visitors between 150,000 to 200,000 annually.
A brief introduction to the Happiness Movement, the Happiness Alliance and how you can use the Gross National Happiness Index, with examples and action items.
The document provides an overview of Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Bhutan. It discusses the rationale for using GNH instead of only economic measures to evaluate societal well-being. It also outlines the conceptual structure of GNH, including how it is measured using a GNH Index composed of nine domains related to both economic and non-economic areas of life. These domains are interdependent and contribute collectively to overall well-being. The document then shares some examples and tools for applying GNH at both the policy level and for individuals.
The document discusses findings from Bhutan's 2010 Gross National Happiness Index regarding levels of happiness among Bhutanese citizens. Some key points:
- 59% of Bhutanese did not meet the happiness threshold of being happy in 6 or more domains, and were considered "not yet happy".
- On average, unhappy Bhutanese lacked sufficiency in 43% of domains, roughly equal to 4 domains.
- Unhappy Bhutanese showed higher insufficiency than happy Bhutanese in several areas like consumption, housing, health, education, and living standards.
- Further analysis looked at differences in achievements and insufficiencies among unhappy Bhutanese based on factors like region, gender, age, and occupation to help identify policy priorities for increasing
The document summarizes findings from Bhutan's 2010 GNH survey in Lhuntse Dzongkhag (district). Key findings include:
- Respondents reported high levels of psychological well-being, health, and cultural engagement. Nearly all spoke their mother tongue well and felt Bhutanese traditions were important.
- Access to infrastructure like electricity and internet was limited in some areas. Respondents engaged in local governance and had trust in their legal system.
- Communities reported strong social cohesion, with high levels of trust between neighbors, family ties, and volunteerism. Safety from crime was also largely perceived as good.
- While cultural practices like use of the traditional language and games remained strong
This document recording proceedings for the Educating for Gross National Happiness Workshop 2009 contains a model program and procedure teachers to teach mindfulness in schools. A great resource for teachers.
Bhutan is the only country that prioritizes happiness over economic growth in government policy. Known as "Gross National Happiness," Bhutan considers the impact of policies on both GDP and the well-being of citizens. This has led Bhutan to ban things like plastic bags and tobacco that decrease happiness and adopt strict environmental laws aimed at sustainable development. While development has been slower, Bhutan has been able to implement unique policies due to its isolation and status as an absolute monarchy.
The village of Giethoorn in the Netherlands is unique because it has no roads or cars, only channels. Known as the "Venice of the North", the village was founded in 1230 and all transportation is done by boat through the channels instead of roads. It receives many tourists each year, especially large numbers of Chinese visitors between 150,000 to 200,000 annually.
A brief introduction to the Happiness Movement, the Happiness Alliance and how you can use the Gross National Happiness Index, with examples and action items.
The document provides an overview of Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Bhutan. It discusses the rationale for using GNH instead of only economic measures to evaluate societal well-being. It also outlines the conceptual structure of GNH, including how it is measured using a GNH Index composed of nine domains related to both economic and non-economic areas of life. These domains are interdependent and contribute collectively to overall well-being. The document then shares some examples and tools for applying GNH at both the policy level and for individuals.
The document discusses findings from Bhutan's 2010 Gross National Happiness Index regarding levels of happiness among Bhutanese citizens. Some key points:
- 59% of Bhutanese did not meet the happiness threshold of being happy in 6 or more domains, and were considered "not yet happy".
- On average, unhappy Bhutanese lacked sufficiency in 43% of domains, roughly equal to 4 domains.
- Unhappy Bhutanese showed higher insufficiency than happy Bhutanese in several areas like consumption, housing, health, education, and living standards.
- Further analysis looked at differences in achievements and insufficiencies among unhappy Bhutanese based on factors like region, gender, age, and occupation to help identify policy priorities for increasing
The document summarizes findings from Bhutan's 2010 GNH survey in Lhuntse Dzongkhag (district). Key findings include:
- Respondents reported high levels of psychological well-being, health, and cultural engagement. Nearly all spoke their mother tongue well and felt Bhutanese traditions were important.
- Access to infrastructure like electricity and internet was limited in some areas. Respondents engaged in local governance and had trust in their legal system.
- Communities reported strong social cohesion, with high levels of trust between neighbors, family ties, and volunteerism. Safety from crime was also largely perceived as good.
- While cultural practices like use of the traditional language and games remained strong
This document recording proceedings for the Educating for Gross National Happiness Workshop 2009 contains a model program and procedure teachers to teach mindfulness in schools. A great resource for teachers.
Bhutan is the only country that prioritizes happiness over economic growth in government policy. Known as "Gross National Happiness," Bhutan considers the impact of policies on both GDP and the well-being of citizens. This has led Bhutan to ban things like plastic bags and tobacco that decrease happiness and adopt strict environmental laws aimed at sustainable development. While development has been slower, Bhutan has been able to implement unique policies due to its isolation and status as an absolute monarchy.
The document provides a list of locations within the Kingdom of Bhutan, including its capital city of Thimphu, prominent religious sites like Taktshang Monastery and Kurjey Lhakhang, and Dzongs (fortress-monasteries) in Paro, Punakha, Wangdi, and Trongsa. It mentions prominent Himalayan peaks like Jhomolhari visible from certain locations and concludes with an overview of sights across Bhutan before ending.
1) ICT has played an important role in Bhutan's development, starting from basic telephone and radio services in the 1960s-1970s and expanding to internet, mobile, and digital technologies more recently.
2) The document discusses how ICT can support Bhutan's development philosophy of Gross National Happiness through its four pillars: equitable socio-economic development, conservation of the natural environment, preservation of cultural values, and establishment of good governance.
3) Specifically, ICT is argued to promote socio-economic development through tools like e-commerce, empower youth and women, and create new jobs. It can also support environmental conservation through eco-friendly technologies, digital services, research, and monitoring. ICT assists
A land with untold mysteries and excellent monasteries, Bhutan is a country that is on the bucket list for many. Travel to this pristine escape would leave you with great memories of travelling to a place where even the greatest cynics turn into believers.
GNH stands for Gross National Happiness, which seeks to promote inner happiness and well-being within the context of societal good. GNH uses a simple screening tool to assess how policies and projects impact key domains like health, education, culture and the environment. Bhutan formally adopted GNH as a measure of development success and has four pillars - equitable socio-economic development, environmental conservation, preservation of culture, and good governance. While GDP measures economic output, GNH takes a more holistic approach by valuing natural, human and social capital to better indicate national well-being.
Case studies based analysis on the Gross national Happiness Index of Bhutan and the Scandinavian countries.Also it emphasises on the clear-cut differences of GNH with respect to GDP and GNP.