Society Switzerland-Bhutan
Bhutan in 1969: TV documentary directed by Peter Schellenberg
Friday, October 9, 2022, Songtsen House Zurich
SSB Bhutan evening - and many came to watch the documentary film of the late Swiss television director Peter Schellenberg from 1969. Claudio Zingg , the President of the Society Switzerland-Bhutan, had found the rarity at a private film distributor to whom Swiss Television had sold the film rights. The images of the often bare mountain slopes, which have been reforested in recent decades thanks in part to Switzerland's support, are impressive and have made Bhutan one of the three CO2-negative countries in the world. But the development of traffic routes and settlements are also striking. The film team was guided through the country by the sound engineer Arthur Christen, alias Tenzin Dorji (Swiss Bakery). He was one of the first Swiss development experts in Bhutan.
With this documentary, Schellenberg allowed us to look back into the past and some things that have survived until today.
Dr. Karma Phuntsho in Switzerland
23. - 26. October, 2022, Zurich, Berne, Geneva
The Society Switzerland-Bhutan was honored to host Dr. Karma Phunthso in Switzerland during 3 days . It’s always an eyeopener when Karma Phuntsho is sharing his views on the development of the history and culture of Bhutan.
During his stay in Switzerland we could organize 3 talks:
- At the Zurich University of Teacher Education: “Culture, Society and Change: Bhutan’s Journey in the 21st Century – Challenges and Opportunities”
- At the House of Religions in Berne: „Loden Foundation: Fostering Buddhist Entrepreneurship in Bhutan“
- The highlight was the event on Sunday at the Residence of the Bhutan Embassy in Chambésy (Geneva). H.E. Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk and his team were inviting SSB members and the Bhutanese community in Switzerland for a BBQ on the occasion of the opening of tourism in Bhutan followed by a talk of Karma Phuntsho „Padmasambhava and Bhutan“.
Meeting of the European Bhutan Friendship Associations in Hungary
14. - 18. September, 2022, Budapest and Lake Balaton
The European Bhutan Friendship Associations had their biannual meeting in Hungary.
The main event was taking place in Budapest. After the exchange between the European Bhutan Friendship Associations, H.E. Ambassador of Bhutan in Brussels Tshering Gyaltshen Penjor was answering questions about the transformations going on in Bhutan.
Afterwards the following speakers were giving insights in their approaches to value based business, education and sports:
Value-based Business:
- Value-based Banking - Csaba Molnár, Head of Community Development, MagNet Community Bank, Hungary
- The Boddhisatva Entrepreneur - Gérard Tardy, Founder and Director of the Loden Entrepreneurship Program, Bhutan-France
- Buddhist Economics - Gábor Kovács, Assistant Professor at the Business Ethics Centre of the Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary
Value-based Education
- A Buddhist College in Europe - Gábor Karsai, Rector of Dharma Gate Buddhist College in Budapest and MD of Mind&Life Europe
- Educating for the Future: Values and Challenges - Karma Phuntsho, Founder of the Loden Foundation, Bhutan
- The REAL School experience - Viktória Szemerédy, Co-Founder of REAL School Budapest
Value-based Sport: Traditional Archery
- Hungarian Traditional Archery and its Connection to Bhutan - Roland Csáki, Hungarian traditional archer
- More than a National Sport - Tshering Choden, Archery Coach & former Olympic archer of Bhutan
SSB General Assembly 2022
Saturday, June 11, 2022 at Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich (PHZH)
The General Assembly 2022 of the Society Switzerland-Bhutan in Zurich elected the Board of the society for the period of 2022 – 2024. Kathrin Frey, Franz Gähwiler, Ruth Schwitter, Claudio Zingg and Dieter Zürcher were re-elected. Thinley Chenzom Meier and Tina Roner will be joining the board as new members. Claudio Zingg was re-elected as the President of SSB.
Board 2022 - 2024 of SSB
Karsay Dawa, the interim President of the newly founded Bhutanese Association in Switzerland (BAS), addressed the members of SSB and extended his greetings from BAS.
HE Ambassador Tenzin R Wangchuk briefed the Assembly about current issues in Bhutan in conversation with Claudio Zingg.
One of the highlights of the GA was the screening of the impressive film: “Country Life in the Bumthang Valley 1974 – 1982” filmed by the SSB member Marie-Noëlle Frei-Pont during her project stay for Foundation Pro Bhutan / HELVETAS. The film is a touching document of life in Bhutan more than 40 years ago.
