Bhutan not to celebrate International Day of Happiness

Bhutan government has indicated UN’s proposal to celebrate 20th March as happiness day

is not accepted for Bhutan. In a public notice, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs has said the state will not observe public holiday on international day of happiness.

Instead, as resolved by the parliament in last sitting, the gross national happiness day will be celebrated in November.

The notice reads, “GNH Day will be celebrated on 11th November coinciding with His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo’s Birth Anniversary.”

The decision comes amidst departure of Jigmi Thinley’s from the GNH movement. Thinley has remain silent on GNH since his defeat in last election and subsequent reported humiliation he faced from the royal family.

Since Thinley’s departure, Bhutan’s happiness movement has come to a standstill. The new leadership is trying to concentrate the movement within the Bhutanese border.