To commemorate the 112th Anniversary of Bhutan’s National Day, the Ambassador of Bhutan to Kuwait H.E. Tshering Penjor hosted a reception on 17 December at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Fahad Al-Awadi was the chief guest on the occasion. Members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, members of the Bhutanese community, and media personnel attended the event.
In his address to the gathering, the ambassador Penjor highlighted 17 December, 1907 as a historic day wherein His Majesty Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck became the first hereditary King of a united Bhutan. He noted that on this day all Bhutanese pay tribute to their successive monarchs for their extraordinary leadership and prioritizing the happiness of their people.
The Ambassador emphasized, “Guided by our development philosophy of Gross National Happiness, Bhutan has enjoyed peace, prosperity, and harmony for over a century. Today, in a fast-changing world, we remain steadfast in our pursuit of sustainable development.”
Praising his country’s progress and development in various fields, the Ambassador Penjor pointed out that a vibrant democracy has taken firm roots in his country, and Bhutan is one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.
“Our GDP per capita has tripled over the last 15 years. By 2023, Bhutan will officially graduate from the category of Least Developed Countries (LDC),” he added. Lauding the support of traditional values in their daily lives, he remarked that Bhutan’s rich cultural heritage continues to flourish even as the country embraces the imperatives of globalization.
Noting that Bhutan has a constitutional mandate to maintain at least 60 percent of land as forest, he said, “Bhutan serves as a major carbon sink for the entire world. It is the only country to become carbon negative.”
Affirming his country’s achievements, Ambassador Penjor pointed out, “Our achievements are a testimony of the farsighted vision and leadership of our Kings, the commitment of our Government and the people towards our common goal of Gross National Happiness, and the strong collaboration with our development partners around the world.”
Lauding his fellow nationals as effective ambassadors of their country, the Ambassador said, “The Bhutanese community in Kuwait has grown tenfold over the last 3 years, from less than 300 to more than 3000 today. All of them are successfully working in various companies in Kuwait, and many are here tonight. I extend my heartfelt Tashi Delek to all Bhutanese working in Kuwait and other countries in the region.”
Speaking to media on the sidelines of the function, the Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs , Ambassador Fahad Al-Awadi lauded the strength of relations between Kuwait and Bhutan in various fields. He noted that the Kuwaiti Embassy in Bhutan is one of only three embassies in the Kingdom, which indicates the excellent level of bilateral relations that aimed to be strengthened.
During the event, the ambassador felicitated Bhutanese National Namgay Lham, of Starbucks in Kuwait for taking second place in the Starbucks Barista Championship 2019 held recently in London. More than 15,000 baristas entered the 2019 Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Starbucks Barista Championship, and it was the first time a barista from Starbucks in the Middle East made it to the top three. The Ambassador presented Namgay with a gift on behalf of His Majesty the King along with a certificate of recognition from the Minister of Labor and Human Resources of Bhutan. Dancers in traditional Bhutanese garb performed on the occasion.
