Augusto Gansser - The Life of a World Explorer in Pictures
Date: Friday, 29.5.2026, 19:30
Venue Songtsen House, Tibetisch-Asiatisches Kulturzentrum, Gubelhangstrasse 7, 8050 Zürich Oerlikon, www.songtsenhouse.ch
Tickets CHF 15 through this link: Tickets
Highlights from the photographic archive and stories from the life of geologist Augusto Gansser, presented by Martin Müller and Vera Markus (granddaughter of Augusto Gansser).
The geologist Augusto Gansser (Baba Himalaya) led five expeditions to Bhutan between 1963 and 1977, amongst other ventures, and was the first to map the then-isolated kingdom. As early as 1936, disguised as a monk, he circumnavigated Mount Kailash. He also undertook research in South America, Iran, Ladakh, Nepal, Afghanistan, the Arctic and the Antarctic.
SSB General Assembly 2026
Date Saturday, March 28, 2026
Time 10:00 – 16:30
Venue Pädagogische Hochschule Luzern, Frohburgstrasse 3, 6002 Luzern (3 minutes from Lucerne Train Station)
Programme
09:15-10:00 Welcome Coffee and Registration
10:00-11:45 SSB General Assembly
11:45-12:15 Presentation Team Bhutan Mission Geneva | Developments in Bhutan in 2025
12:30-14:00 Lunch at Mensa Pädagogische Hochschule Luzern
14:00-15:40 Swiss Involvement in Projects in Bhutan 2025
- Introduction and Documentary Gyalsung Infra Project
- Dominic Felder and Peter Knöpfel: Experience as Trainers in the Gyalsung Infra Project (training in the construction sector)
- Diego Salmeron: Consultant New Phuentsholing Township Development Project
15:40-16:30 Apéro
Downloads
- Afternoon Programme
- Map of the Venue
- Minutes of General Assembly 2025
- Accounts 2025
- Audit Report 2025
- Budget 2026
23.1.2026: Film: With Love from Bhutan (Bhutan, 2024)
Venue: Songtsen House Zurich
Video Introduction to the Film by the Director Charmi Chheda
Synopsis
Jimmy, an American student of food anthropology with Bhutanese roots, returns to Bhutan after twenty years. His mother Jane once ran the pioneering Pelbue restaurant in Thimphu before abruptly leaving Bhutan with Jimmy, but without her stepdaughter Yangchen. Jane's sudden departure left scars. Yangchen, his stepsister, felt abandoned, grew up as a loner and found solace in the landscapes of Bhutan. Back in Bhutan, Jimmy stays with his friend Angay and tries to reconnect with Yangchen, who has now become a stranger to him.
10.9.25: Excursion to Häring AG in Burgdorf
Häring Timber Technology AG has been actively involved in applying timber technology in Bhutan since 2012. Through its collaboration with the National Resource Development Co. Ltd., it has been able to make decisive contributions to the development of the timber value chain in Bhutan. The country is now endeavouring to achieve Swiss timber construction standards and promotes itself as a supplier of quality timber products - both for its own national projects and for the international market.
16.9.2025, 18:00: "HWZ and Bhutan: Connecting Worlds Through Entrepreneurial Education"
SSB in collaboration with HWZ Zurich (Link)
Speakers:
- Dr Hugo Bigi, Head of the HWZ Bhutan Entrepreneurial Education Programme BEEP: ‘BEEP - Bridging Bhutanese Values with International Business Practices’
- Prof. Dr Claude Meier & Dr Tiziana Gaito, HWZ Research & Sustainability: "Rethinking Entrepreneurship: A GNH-Inspired Study between Bhutan and Switzerland"
- Sangay Tshering, President Loden Foundation, IT entrepreneur in Bhutan. ‘Entrepreneurship in Bhutan’
- Rabsel Dorji, Head of Communication Gelephu Mindfulness City GMC, Bhutan: ‘Gelephu: The World's First Mindfulness City’
- Claudio Zingg, Co-President Society Switzerland-Bhutan SSB: ‘Bhutan & Switzerland - Far Apart and Close Together’
17.9.2025, 18:30: "Bhutan's Path to a Mindful Future"
SSB in collaboration with Asia Society Switzerland
In this Talk at the Library Asia Society Switzerland and the Society Switzerland-Bhutan welcomed two of Bhutan’s leading changemakers.
Rabsel Dorji, Head of Communications for the Gelephu Mindfulness City project, shared the story behind Bhutan’s most ambitious development initiative to date – envisioned by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck –a visionary special administrative region designed around sustainability, spirituality, and regional connectivity.
Sangay Tshering, founder of Green E-Solutions and President of the Loden Foundation, explores how Bhutan’s next generation of entrepreneurs is building businesses that are both financially viable and socially meaningful.
Here you find the link to the video of the talk.
14.6.2025: BBQ Reception at the Residence of the Bhutanese Ambassdor in Chambésy
The Bhutan Mission in Geneva has invited to a BBQ at the residence of the Ambassador. The Society Switzerland-Bhutan would like to thank Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk and his team for organizing again such a wonderful event.
Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk will be returning to Bhutan in July. SSB would like to thank him for the excellent collaboration over the last five years and we wish him all the best for his new tasks.
14. – 19.3.2025: Agent of Happiness on Tour in Switzerland
Together with the distributor TRIGON the Society Switzerland-Bhutan was organizing a promotional tour of the documentary «Agent of Happiness» in Switzerland. The two film directors, Dorottya Zurbò and Arun Bhattarai, captivated the audience with their film and their responses during the Q&A sessions, which were enhanced by their engaging personalities.
You can order a DVD https://shop.trigon-film.org/de/DVD/Agent_of_Happiness
or watch the movie on FILMINGO: https://www.filmingo.ch/de/films/1833-
General Assembly 2025
Saturday, March 15, 2025, Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich (PHZH)
For the first time, the two co-presidents, Tina Roner and Claudio Zingg, led the General Assembly, providing an overview of the projects in Switzerland and Bhutan.
The GA was honoured by the presence of Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk and his team.
A real highlight was the pre-premiere of Agent of Happiness and the Q&A with the two film directors, Dorottya Zurbò and Arun Bhattarai.
Download Minutes GA 2025
View the Movie "Country Life in the Bumthang Valley Bhutan 1974 – 1982" on YouTube
A Movie by our member Marie-Noëlle Frei-Pont
