Transcript Slide 1

Gross National Happiness
Bhutan at the
Smithsonian Folk Festival,
Washington, 29 June 2008
Bhutan, a Himalayan country of which we knew
little, was the guest in this year’s Smithsonian Folk
Festival on the Mall, here in Washington DC.
We went to visit its pavilions on a very hot mid-day
and came away intrigued by the colors and
patterns of its artistry as much as by the people
who represented Bhutan.
Here are a couple samples of both of them.
We noticed even a pleasant little political spin
there, about “Gross National Happiness”, a term
which, Wikipedia tells us, “was coined by Bhutan's
King … in 1972 in response to criticism that his
economy was growing poorly. It signaled his
commitment to building an economy that would
serve Bhutan's unique culture based on Buddhist
spiritual values. Like many moral goals, it is
somewhat easier to state than to define.”
Judging by the pleasures of the day, the festival
created quite a bit of local happiness.
Wishing you happiness,
Janet & Aldo