08/10/2025
As the third group of volunteers begin their work in Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) His Majesty The King announced the launch of Pelsung.
Pelsung, meaning Guardians of Prosperity, is a new national initiative to engage Bhutanese youth in developing creative and practical solutions for the GMC.
His Majesty announced Pelsung as the third pillar of nation-building alongside Desuung and Gyalsung, instituted to help build strong foundations for the countryโs future.
โFor a small population, every single person matters, and these programmes are intended to empower our people, to build harmony and the capacity to work together. As His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo said in the 1974 Coronation Address, our collective efforts will have far greater impact than the concerted efforts of a few,โ His Majesty said.
His Majesty said that the Gelephu Mindfulness City represents the aspirations of the nation taking shape, and that the sacred responsibility to protect Bhutanโs unity, harmony, and unique identity for all time falls on the youth.
โEverything we are doing today is for our youth โ so that they will be better versions of us, better prepared, smarter, and more hard-working. It falls on us to build that future, and on them to protect it and take it to greater heights,โ His Majesty said. โThat is the reason Pelsung has been created. I invite larger and larger numbers โ the brightest and strongest amongst us โ to join. We begin with 300โ400 Pelsups, but expect to have thousands in the coming years. While today we bring in experts to help build the GMC, it is imperative that Bhutanese are able to take over the responsibility and become its custodians.โ
โMy father entrusted the responsibility of Kingship to me when I was only 26, with enormous confidence and even greater expectations. I would like to learn from past precedent, and His Majestyโs immense wisdom, and recognize the potential of our youth. We certainly value experience, age, and education. But we must also rely on our youth to take the nation forward,โ His Majesty said. โMy father took a leap of faith in me, and I have always endeavoured to not disappoint him, my people, and above all, our choechang sungma.โ
โIt is not how you fit into a role that matters, but how you adapt โ how quickly you can learn, absorb information, exercise good judgement, and reinvent yourself,โ His Majesty said. โSuccess requires adaptability, humility, resilience, and a constant appetite to learn. Every moment of your life, you are growing, becoming stronger, and your conviction solidifies. Only when you know what is worth fighting for do you learn how to succeed.โ
His Majesty added that the journey ahead will not be easy. โThere will be heartaches and disappointments. If it were easy, every country in the world would be better off and do exactly what we are doing. We have to be resilient in the face of challenges to do what others cannot.โ
The first cohort of Pelsung participants includes about 300 youth, selected from thousands of applicants from within and outside Bhutan. They represent a diverse mix of civil servants, private employees, students, and recent university graduates.
The programme includes a Youth Integration Training, developed with the support of Desuung, to build teamwork and community spirit. Participants will attend GMC Talks with experts from the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority, and later form groups to develop ideas under four themes โ Social and Cultural, Business and Commercial, Governance and Planning, and Architecture and Urban Design.
His Majesty expressed deep appreciation for the peopleโs overwhelming interest in joining the volunteer work, saying that people from across the country had shown remarkable enthusiasm to be part of the national effort.
โThis is the true spirit of Bhutan โ our unity, and the manner in which Bhutanese come together with the noble intent of benefiting all sentient beings,โ His Majesty said. โThat is what makes Bhutan special, and sets us apart.โ
His Majesty especially acknowledged the presence of Lopen Basokarp, the 98-year-old former Yangbi Lopen and Druk Thugsey recipient, who had requested to come to Gelephu to take part in the voluntary work.
The ceremony was attended by Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen, Members of the Royal Family, international guests, officials, and the public of Gelephu.
Meanwhile, the third zhabtog programme for GMC, which commenced today with more than five thousand six hundred volunteers, will continue until October 10.
