Bhutan is undertaking an ambitious development project to create a new “mindfulness” city, a plan that includes the construction of 108 Buddhist stupas with the help of tens of thousands of volunteers.
The initiative is being promoted by the government as a way to stimulate economic growth and to encourage young Bhutanese, who have increasingly been moving abroad for education and work, to remain in the country.
According to the project’s description, the city will be built around the principles of mindfulness and Buddhist practice, with the stupas serving as both spiritual landmarks and tourist attractions.
Bhutan, a small Himalayan kingdom known for its Gross National Happiness philosophy, has faced demographic challenges as its youthful population seeks opportunities overseas. The mindfulness city is presented as a strategy to create new jobs and cultural appeal that could help reverse this trend.
While details on the timeline and funding of the construction have not been disclosed, the involvement of a large volunteer workforce underscores the government’s reliance on community participation to bring the project to fruition.
<small>Source: Al Jazeera — read the original story there.</small>
