Wisdom for the Future – For a Just, Sustainable, and Peaceful Bhutan and the World: Promoting Peace and Stability in Bhutan
To educate our students and Bhutanese citizens at large, JSW Law in collaboration with the Office of Prime Minister and the Cabinet, launched the “WISDOM FOR THE FUTURE: JIGME SINGYE WANGCHUCK TALK SERIES” on 22 October 2024. As the father of Gross National Happiness, Bhutan’s Constitution, and Democracy, His Majesty is also a true and passionate environmentalist of our time. Throughout his reign, he prioritized ensuring the well-being of the Bhutanese people through free access to education and health, promoting social security, sustainable development, and enhancing citizen’s participation in decision-making. This Talk Series will bring global leaders to Bhutan to share their thoughts and experiences on these areas to amplify the contribution His Majesty made to the world as a global thinker and selfless leader.
For the Inaugural Series, JSW Law invited Nobel Peace Laureate Mr. Kailash Satyarthi to talk on “Right to our Education for our Children in the 21st Century.” The Series was attended by the Honourable President of the Law School, Cabinet Ministers, Members of the Parliament, Justices and judges from the Judiciary, and many other participants representing different sectors.
JSW Law will host a few more series leading up to the 11th of November 2025, after that, JSW Law will host this Talk Series once every year on 11th November.
Wisdom Centre for Justice: For Just & Compassionate Justice Sector of Bhutan
In celebration of the 70th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the 4th King, to support His Majesty the King’s vision of the Diamond Strategy, JSW Law in collaboration with the Justice Sector, has launched Wisdom Centre for Justice (WCJ). WCJ will not only function as the Secretariat Office of the Justice Sector but also play a leading role in facilitating research for justice sector development, and supporting in human resources capacity development of the Justice Sector to support His Majesty’s vision of strengthening democracy, creating an agile and responsive legal system, improving laws and building capable citizenry to serve the nation, its people, and the economy.
LLM/MLS in Climate Change & Environmental Law
Coinciding with the launch of the Wisdom for the Future Series, JSW Law launched LLM/MLS in Climate Change and Environmental Law for students from around the world. This program will bring in international experts and scholars to teach various courses relating to international climate change and environmental law. Gross National Happiness and Law will be taught as a capstone course of the program—showcasing Bhutan’s leadership in sustainability inspired by the foresight and visionary leadership of His Majesty the Fourth King. In collaboration with our partners, JSW Law will provide a few scholarships to deserving students from South Asia (Bhutan and India). JSW Law will welcome students in August 2025.
His Majesty the 4th King’s Contributions to the Nation and the World
GNH Founder
What is GNH?
Gross National Happiness (GNH) is Bhutan’s guiding philosophy for development, introduced by His Majesty the 4th King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, in the early 1970s. GNH emphasizes that true progress is measured not by economic indicators alone but by the holistic well-being of the people. It seeks to harmonize material development with spiritual, cultural, and environmental values, ensuring that all aspects of life contribute to the happiness and fulfillment of individuals and communities.
GNH Philosophy
His Majesty gifted Bhutan — and the world — with the profound philosophy of GNH, believing that true prosperity is not found in the size of a nation’s economy but in the smiles of its people and the strength of its communities. By placing happiness above GDP, His Majesty dared to dream of a world where compassion, balance, and harmony guide progress. His vision embraced not just material well-being, but also the nurturing of Bhutan’s rich culture, pristine environment, and spiritual wisdom. Through GNH, His Majesty offered a timeless reminder: the soul of a nation is far more precious than its wealth, and true leadership is rooted in love for one’s people and respect for the land they call home.
GNH Framework
Bhutan’s development is guided by the unique philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) — a holistic approach that prioritizes the well-being of people and the planet over economic growth alone.
The Four Pillars of GNH
- Good Governance
- Sustainable Socioeconomic Development
- Cultural Preservation and Promotion
- Environmental Conservation
These pillars ensure that national progress is inclusive, responsible, and rooted in Bhutanese values.
The Nine Domains of GNH
To make happiness measurable, GNH is further broken into nine domains: Psychological Well-being; Health; Education; Time Use; Cultural Diversity & Resilience; Good Governance; Community Vitality; Ecological Diversity & Resilience; Living Standards.
GNH Purpose and Application
GNH is Bhutan’s visionary approach to development that places the happiness and well-being of its people at the center of national progress. Rather than focusing solely on economic growth, GNH promotes a just, harmonious, and sustainable society by balancing material needs with spiritual, social, and environmental values.
The GNH framework is actively used in governance and planning:
- All national policies and laws are screened using a GNH Policy Screening Tool to ensure they align with the country’s values and do not harm long-term well-being.
- Five-Year Development Plans are guided by GNH principles, promoting balanced growth across all sectors.
- Happiness and well-being are measured regularly through national GNH surveys based on nine domains, helping shape policy decisions.
- Education, governance, and public services are influenced by GNH values, embedding compassion, sustainability, and responsibility at every level.
Through GNH, Bhutan offers a powerful and practical model for people-centered development that respects both human dignity and the environment.
Peace and Stability in Bhutan
His Majesty The Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, stands as a timeless guardian of peace and stability in our beloved Bhutan. Through his visionary and compassionate leadership, Bhutan embarked on a historic and peaceful transition to a constitutional monarchy—an extraordinary achievement that safeguarded the unity, dignity, and sovereignty of the nation. His Majesty’s foresight ensured that this transformation was not disruptive, but deeply rooted in Bhutanese values, traditions, and the collective will of the people.
Guided by a profound understanding of the nation’s soul, His Majesty nurtured a culture of harmony, consultation, and mutual respect. His commitment to decentralization and people-centered governance empowered citizens, strengthened institutions, and fostered a shared responsibility for the nation’s progress.
Under his leadership, the land of the Thunder Dragon blossomed into a haven of tranquility and order, where Gross National Happiness became both a guiding philosophy and a reflection of national priorities. His Majesty’s legacy is a Bhutan where people live with confidence, security, and hope—upholding a deep, enduring harmony built on compassion, trust in leadership, and the unbreakable bond between the monarchy and the people.
Sustainability in Bhutan
Long before the world turned its attention to environmental conservation, His Majesty the 4th King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, had already laid a strong foundation for protecting Bhutan’s pristine environment. With deep reverence for nature—as sacred and inseparable from our way of life—His Majesty recognized that the wellbeing of our people is closely tied to the wellbeing of our forests, rivers, and mountains.
Guided by the timeless wisdom of our spiritual and cultural traditions, His Majesty ensured that development would never come at the cost of the environment. Under His leadership, Bhutan enshrined environmental protection into its national policies, including the noble decision to maintain at least 60% of our land under forest cover for all time to come. His Majesty’s deep understanding of the interdependence between people and nature gave rise to the unique development philosophy of Gross National Happiness, where environmental conservation stands as one of its four main pillars.
His Majesty taught us that true progress is not measured by material wealth, but by the harmony between people, culture, and nature. Today, Bhutan’s global recognition as a model for sustainable development is a direct reflection of His Majesty’s far-sighted leadership and unwavering commitment to the values that define us as a nation.
His legacy continues to guide us, reminding every Bhutanese that caring for the environment is not just policy—it is our sacred responsibility.
Environment Conservation in Bhutan
His Majesty The 4th King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck was a visionary environmentalist long before climate change became a global concern. He embedded environmental conservation into the heart of Bhutan’s national identity. Under his leadership
- Bhutan’s Constitution was shaped to mandate that at least 60% of the country remains forested at all times.
- He introduced the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which balances economic growth with environmental sustainability and cultural preservation.
- He established protected areas and national parks, linking them through biological corridors to allow wildlife to thrive freely.
- He prioritized renewable energy, especially hydropower, as a clean energy source that fuels the economy while minimizing environmental impact.
- His development philosophy emphasized harmony with nature, ensuring that infrastructure and progress never came at the cost of Bhutan’s ecological wealth.
His Majesty’s foresight laid the foundation for Bhutan to become a global beacon of sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
Kyoto Earth Hall of Fame Induction (2011)
Champions of the Earth & WWF J. Paul Getty Conservation Leadership Award
His Majesty 4th King: Architect of Bhutan’s Democracy
His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan, is widely revered as the Father of Bhutan’s Democracy for his visionary leadership in transitioning the country from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional democracy. Unlike most nations where democracy emerges from public demand or revolution, Bhutan’s shift was initiated by the King himself, demonstrating his profound wisdom and selfless commitment to the long-term well-being of his people. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck believed that true national progress and stability could only be ensured through shared responsibility and active participation of the citizens. He envisioned a system where power would not be concentrated in the hands of a monarch but rather decentralized among elected leaders, guided by a written Constitution. His primary concern was that Bhutan’s peace and security should not depend on a single individual, but be sustained through strong democratic institutions that could outlast any leader.
To this end, he spent years educating the public and government officials on democratic principles. In 2001, he initiated the drafting of Bhutan’s Constitution. His efforts culminated in 2006 when he voluntarily abdicated the throne in favor of his son, His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, to empower the democratic process. By leading a peaceful and voluntary transition to democracy, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck laid the foundation for a modern Bhutan governed by the rule of law, accountability, and public participation. His vision, sacrifice, and guidance have earned him the rightful title as the Father of Bhutan’s Democracy.
Songs of Praise for His Majesty the 4th King of Bhutan
His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan is revered for his simplicity, compassion and selfless service to the nation and his people. His Majesty the Fourth King’s wisdom and foresight have not only shaped Bhutan’s unique path but also offered invaluable lessons for the international community. Therefore, the world can stand to benefit from the recognition of His Majesty as a true representation of a transformative and farsighted leader:
- The Bodhisattva King: His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan – Tshering Tashi & Thierry Mathou
- Embracing a Leader’s Majestic Legacy – Ugyen Tenzin
- Dochula–A Sacred Reflection of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo’s Vision and Sacrifice – Ugyen Tenzin
- Verses of Reverence for a leader who shaped a Nation’s Destiny through Wisdom, Compassion, and Courage – Compilation by Ugyen Tenzin
- A King of Destiny: Life and reign of Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck
- Nation’s Gem
- Drukyel’s Destiny: Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck
- The Dharma King: A tribute to His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck the Fourth King of Bhutan – H.E. Tsugla Lopen Samten Dorji
- Jewel of Men: Peoms dedicated to His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck – HM Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck
- A King’s Vision of development for his country and its people: A tribute to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo – Needrup Zangpo
- Images from the life of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck
- Moments with the Fourth Druk Gyalpo: Narratives of ordinary people’s encounters with an extraordinary King – Rinzin Wangchuk
- 11-11-11: A tribute to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck – Lobzang Dorji, Dorji Tshering, and Kelzang Dorjee
- Melodies of the Spring Queen: The wondrous deeds of the Great Fourth Druk Gyalpo – Ura Gyonpo Tshering
- Timeless Treasures: Moments in the life of a King & Nation
- The Legacy of a King: The Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck – Siok Sian Pek-Dorji
- Drukgyal Zhipa: A reign of Prophecy
- Eternal Knot: A journey of two nations in time
- 25 Years a King: His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (1974-1999)
- Quotes of Praises – Compiled by Ugyen Tenzin
- GNH: The vision That Have the World Better – If Only Had Listened in Time! – Ugyen Tenzin, Business Bhutan
- Portrait of a Leader: Through the Looking-Glass of His Majesty’s Decrees-Mieko Nishimizu
- The Bodhisattva King: Reflections on the Legacy of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan – Dr. Thierry Mathou
- Reminiscences: A King and His Times 1972-2006 – Kezang Namgyel
- Immortal Lines: Speeches of the 4th Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck – Tashi Group of Companies
- Embracing a leader’s majestic legacy: Dedicated to the Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who ascended the Golden Throne formally on June 2, 1972 – Ugyen Tenzin
- His Majesty’s Address to the Nation on the celebration of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo’s 60th Birth Anniversary
- འབྲུག་བརྒྱུད་འཛིན་གྱི་རྒྱལ་མཆོག་བཞི་པ་མི་དབང་འཇིགས་མེད་སེངྒེ་དབང་ཕྱུག་མཆོག་གི་རྟོགས་བརྗོད་དེབ་ཐེར་ཆེན་མོ་བཞུགས་སོ། (The great biography of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck)
- ཆོས་རྒྱལ་བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་བཀའ་དྲིན་སེམས་ཀྱི་འོད་སྣང་། (The Benevolent Grace of the Dharma King: The Radiance of the Bodhisattva’s Mind) – H.E. Letshog Lopen Sangay Dorji
- སྙན་རྩོམ་པདྨའི་འཕྲེང་བ་བཞུགས་སོ། (The anthology of peoms, a garland of lotus petals)
- Leadership of the Wise Kings of Bhutan – Karma Ura
- Devotion, Culture, and Social Work: Royal Patronage in Bhutan – Françoise Pommaret
- How to Reform a Traditional Buddhist Monarchy: The Political Achievements of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan (1972-2006) – Thierry Mathou
- A special tribute from Myanmar to His Majesty the Fourth King – Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
- The Fourth Dragon King – A Tribute – Sherab Dorji
FAQs on His Majesty The Fourth King, Gross National Happiness, and Bhutan’s Peace, Stability, and Sustainability
His Majesty the 4th King prioritized environmental protection as a cornerstone of Bhutan’s development, mandating that at least 60% of the country remain forested and establishing national parks and protected areas to safeguard Bhutan’s biodiversity.
Gross National Happiness (GNH) is a development philosophy introduced by His Majesty the 4th King that values the happiness and well-being of citizens over economic growth, emphasizing sustainable development, cultural preservation, environmental conservation, and good governance.
Through his wise and compassionate leadership, His Majesty the 4th King peacefully transitioned Bhutan to a constitutional monarchy, strengthened national unity, and ensured lasting political stability grounded in the values of harmony and respect.
The GNH framework promotes balanced development that nurtures both societal well-being and cultural identity, fostering a peaceful, stable society where prosperity and compassion are equally valued.
The 70th birthday celebrations honour His Majesty the 4th King’s remarkable achievements, including the introduction of Gross National Happiness, the peaceful democratization of Bhutan, and his lifelong dedication to environmental conservation and national unity.
Bhutan maintains peace and stability while focusing on sustainability through its unique philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which prioritizes good governance, cultural preservation, environmental conservation, and equitable development. Guided by strong leadership and the Constitution, Bhutan upholds the rule of law, promotes harmony through shared cultural values, protects its environment (over 70% forest cover), and follows a peaceful foreign policy. By investing in education, decentralizing governance, and valuing well-being over material growth, Bhutan ensures that progress is both peaceful and sustainable.
Environmental conservation is a core pillar of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH). It ensures sustainable development, protects natural resources, supports public well-being, and reflects Bhutan’s deep respect for nature. The country maintains over 70% forest cover and remains carbon negative, showing its strong commitment to both national and global environmental responsibility.
Bhutan’s emphasis on sustainability supports its long-term development by:
- Protecting natural resources for future generations
- Ensuring balanced growth through eco-friendly policies
- Reducing vulnerability to climate change and environmental risks
- Attracting green investments and eco-tourism
- Improving quality of life through clean air, water, and healthy ecosystems
This approach helps Bhutan grow in a way that is resilient, inclusive, and aligned with its national values.