RIGSS Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Dive deeper into the minds that are making a difference. Listen to find out what ticks them as they share their perspectives, insight, knowledge, wisdom and experiences on subjects that matter. Join us on these engaging and intellectual odysseys with the luminaries of leadership, governance, democracy and public policy.
Topic: THE CONTRACTUAL MONARCHY: Modern Buddhist Kingship in Bhutan
Speaker: Dasho Dr. Sonam Kinga
Date: 26 April 2026
Time: 2:30 PM
Venue: Zhichenkhar (CBS), Thimphu
Book LaunchRIGSS is delighted to extend this public invitation to interested individuals for the launch of the book ‘The Contractual Monarchy: Modern Buddhist Kingship in Bhutan’.
This book by Dasho Dr. Sonam Kinga, a RIGSS Faculty Member who is also a World Fellow of the International Leadership Centre at Yale University, will be launched coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Zhabdrung Kuchoe.
It provides a comprehensive analysis and insights into the ideological foundations and expressions of the Bhutanese monarchy. Situated within the broader field of kingship studies, it adopts a multidisciplinary and comparative approach to study Buddhist kingship in Bhutan and its modern expressions in the Wangchuck dynasty.
The post Book Launch appeared first on RIGSS.
Topic: Japan-Bhutan Partnership and Indo-Pacific in Today’s World
Speaker: H.E. Mr. ONO Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to Bhutan
Date: 27 March 2026
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 PM
Venue: Zhichenkhar (CBS), Thimphu
The post RIGSS Friday Forum appeared first on RIGSS.
Topic: In Search of Preemptive Development: How to Go Beyond “Problem Solving”?
Speaker: Professor Jin Sato, University of Tokyo, Japan
Date: March 04, 2026
Time: 6.00 PM
Venue: RIGSS, Phuentsholing
The post RIGSS Lecture Series appeared first on RIGSS.
As part of the institute’s 12th Anniversary Special, His Excellency the Prime Minister, Dasho Tshering Tobgay, delivered a lecture on “Brand Bhutan” at the RIGSS Friday Forum.
The Friday Forum is an important part of the Institute’s broader mandate to foster dialogue, critical thinking, and shared understanding on issues that matter to Bhutan and the world.
The Prime Minister delved into Bhutan’s identity, its perception on the global stage, and the collective responsibilities of citizens in shaping ‘Brand Bhutan’ for the long-term future. Throughout the lecture, his central theme reaffirmed how Gross National Happiness (GNH) has been our guiding philosophy for development and national identity.
He opened the lecture by inviting the attendees to share how foreigners perceive Bhutan or its place on the global stage, describing the activity as a mini-branding exercise. Some foreigners in the crowd associated Bhutan with ‘purpose’, ‘prosperity’, ‘harmony’ and ‘growth with intention’ including terms such as ‘happiest people’ and ‘GNH’. Responses from the Bhutanese attendees included words like, ‘happiness’, ‘GNH’, ‘good leaders’, ‘our monarchs’, ‘clean environment’, etc. He acknowledged that while Bhutan is widely known as the happiest country, this image, though positive, represents only one aspect of the nation’s story.
“Branding is important in a commercial world; everybody knows branding is important. We buy products based on brand value, and we understand that product because of the brand. So, branding is a serious business. For example, Apple’s brand is valued at US $1.3 trillion. It conveys simplicity yet it is aspirational,” said the Prime Minister. Among others, he also highlighted how brands such as Nike and Coca-Cola established strong identities over the years, and how countries like Singapore, Japan and Estonia have been able to craft powerful nation-branding narratives such as global hub of innovation, seamless integration of tradition and innovation, and admirable digitalisation of services among others.
The Prime Minister emphasised that true to the image of Bhutan as a Gross National Happiness (GNH) country, our deeper identity is shaped not only by the four pillars of GNH – good governance, sustainable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of culture and environmental conservation – but also by how these values and responsibilities are upheld by each and every Bhutanese citizen, as much as by the external perception of ‘Brand Bhutan’. He noted how these pillars are interlinked: a nation that believes in harmony and promotes its culture, respects its environment, and strives towards maintaining strong governance, inherently strengthening its national brand.
Drawing comparisons to globally renowned brands such as Apple and Coca-Cola, His Excellency underscored the importance of consistency and authenticity in national branding. He shared how Coca-Cola attempted to rebrand itself by altering its original formula to market a sweeter ‘New Coke’ in 1985 and how that failed. It was an example of how even widely established brands can be at risk when they move away from their core identity. Therefore, he urged every Bhutanese to safeguard the values and principles that define our national brand, “for it has been lived and reinforced by our ancestors, institutions and governance structures over the years”. He stressed that for Brand Bhutan to thrive, we must continue to remain true to Bhutan’s development philosophy and values that are rooted in GNH for all times to come. “Bhutan’s social harmony, environmental leadership, and strong governance are living embodiments of our brand. I am not a happiness guru. I am not a happiness expert, but I would suggest all of us work harder to stay happy. To me, personally, happiness comes from being physically fit, spiritually fit, mentally fit, socially fit, and professionally fit.” To be physically fit, the Prime Minister said, one must exercise regularly, maintain a healthy diet, and avoid harmful habits. These regimes, he added, are important to promote personal happiness, as illness or chronic disease can affect our well-being. He also expressed concern that many Bhutanese today suffer from non-communicable diseases, emphasising on the importance of preventive health and lifestyle choices. Therefore, he asked the audience to reflect on what it takes to be happy and to invest in what makes them truly happy.
He highlighted that over the years, Bhutan has achieved 71 percent literacy rate and 99 percent youth literacy, up from 12 percent 40 years ago and life expectancy rose from 46 to more than 70 years. “That is social progress and this progress has been achieved because healthcare is free, education is free. This is all a part of Bhutan’s character. No one can take it away. The system was set in stone by our monarchs. So, between health and education alone, 30% of the government’s budget is allocated to these two very important sectors. Because of good health and good education, Bhutanese can enjoy opportunities in our country and throughout the world.” This, he said, explains how Bhutan’s development approach is rooted in holistic well-being.
The Prime Minister focussed on our unique culture as one of our identities. He also mentioned that Bhutan is the world’s last remaining Vajrayana Buddhist Kingdom. “Foreigners refer to Bhutan as the last Shangrila.”
He also reiterated environmental sustainability as a strategic pillar of our national brand – with over 70 percent of our areas under forest coverage and our status as carbon-negative that sequesters five times more carbon than we emit, and stressed that these achievements must be protected through continued commitment to clean energy, organic farming and sustainable urban development as part of our nation’s identity. “If we want to be stewards of environmental conservation, we need to burn less fossil fuel and drive more sustainably, and walk more.”
The Prime Minister also mentioned Brand Bhutan’s success to our tourism policy of high value, low volume; our hydropower sector that generates clean energy; and our democracy, which was gifted to the people by our monarchs. “On the 2024 global peace Index, Nepal ranks 80, India 116 and Bhutan 21. Therefore, we must protect peace by protecting the rule of law, democracy and all the principles associated with them.”
He also cautioned that corruption, misinformation, and complacency could undermine our democratic principles and ultimately stain the image of ‘Brand Bhutan’. Therefore, he urged responsible citizenship by reporting corrupt practices to the Anti-Corruption Commission or any relevant authorities instead of circulating reports through social media. He emphasised that we should protect our corruption perception index by reporting and not by spreading misinformation. “If there is no corruption, we should not make it up. But if there is, we should not hesitate to report it,” he said, emphasising integrity as central to democracy and governance. He stated that freedom of speech and media must be exercised responsibly to protect the national brand. At the same time, he encouraged the strengthening of media capabilities in the country to uphold transparency and accountability.
His Excellency highlighted the unique social contract between the Bhutanese people and their monarchs. “We have ‘kidu’ support like no other. We have land kidu for landless, monetary support for destitute and other support for education and medical treatment. We have had the fewest deaths due to Covid-19 with the support and care from the Throne.” He also pointed out some of the visionary initiatives instituted by His Majesty The King – Gyalsung to ensure security, Pelsung to ensure economic prosperity and the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) – where all the hopes of every Bhutanese are endowed. We must continue to be inspired by our King, and serve the King and the country”.
The Prime Minister also spoke on the need to adapt our identity to the evolving global contexts, emphasising that “while preserving tradition and cultural heritage, we must remain agile in responding to new challenges, to ensure that our brand remains relevant, respected and resilient globally.” He called on every citizen to uphold and strengthen ‘Brand Bhutan’ for “national branding should not be left to the government alone; it is in fact a shared responsibility and every citizen and institution has a stake in it.”
12th Anniversary of RIGSS
RIGSS remains committed to promoting dialogue and reflection on leadership, governance and public policy. We would like to thank His Excellency for the insights at the lecture that serve as a reminder that ‘Brand Bhutan’ is both a source of pride and a responsibility of every citizen to ensure how we present ourselves to the world as well as how we nurture these values at home in the most authentic way.
To honour and celebrate RIGSS’s 12th Anniversary, Interim Head of the Institute, Dasho Tashi Wangyal also took the opportunity to open the lecture and share with the attendees that RIGSS has been entrusted with several new mandates going forward:
- To develop the Flagship Mindfulness Leadership Program for Bhutan and the world, preparing leaders for a future defined by enlightened prosperity.
- To work closely with the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority (GMCA) in identifying and addressing the City’s evolving leadership development needs.
- To forge global partnerships that will position RIGSS as a world-class institute in the coming years.
- To collaborate with the GMCA and the Royal Government of Bhutan as a crucible for the ideation and realization of the Diamond Strategy – a transformative national vision articulated by His Majesty The King on 17thDecember 2024.
“As we cross this important milestone, it is also a time for reflection and an opportune moment to reposition ourselves for the future,” announced Dasho Tashi Wangyal.
From the Attendees
“I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture by the Prime Minister. Before attending the lecture, I was a bit sceptical because I thought what more could be said about ‘Brand Bhutan’? It felt like an outdated topic and I was not sure if I’d make it through an hour and a half of the lecture. But to my surprise, the way he structured and packaged the whole content was both refreshing and gripping.” – A civil servant, Ministry of Health.
“I have never heard of Brand Bhutan. It was completely new to me. And I learnt a lot through the Prime Minister’s lecture tonight. Hereon, I will keep in mind that it is also our responsibility as citizens to uphold our national identity and brand, and not the government’s alone.” – Student, The Royal Academy, Paro.
“I already knew a bit about what Brand Bhutan means. But attending the Prime Minister’s lecture provided a deeper clarity on the topic. I can now better relate how the principles and values of GNH directly align with our national brand.” – Student, Motithang Higher Secondary School.
Public Relations and Partnerships Division
RIGSS
The post BRAND BHUTAN: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HON’BLE PRIME MINISTER’S LECTURE AT THE RIGSS FRIDAY FORUM ON OCTOBER 17, 2025 appeared first on RIGSS.
Topic: Brand Bhutan
Speaker: H.E. Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bhutan
Date: 17th, October 2025
Time: 4.00 PM
Venue: RUB Convention Hall, Thimphu
The post RIGSS Friday Forum – Eminent Speaker Series (12th Anniversary Special) appeared first on RIGSS.
The RIGSS LECTURE on “Creativity in Leadership” by Mr. Fredrik Haren. The World of Creativity With Fredrik Haren
Date: 24th April, 2025
Time: 6.00 to 7.40 PM
Venue: RIGSS, Phuentsholing
Mr. Fredrik Härén, who is also known as The Creativity Explorer, is a globally renowned keynote speaker and author who has dedicated over 25 years to understanding and fostering human creativity. His work focuses on empowering individuals and organisations to unlock their creative potential.
The post Creativity in Leadership appeared first on RIGSS.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining the 21st century and transforming every sector of the society, including education. Shine(2023) highlighted that AI is most likely to help human beings in taking over the mundane repetitive tasks, a potential that is equally relevant in the field of education. The impact of AI in education is already evident and is expected to grow even further. Educators are increasingly leveraging AI tools in classroom management and for analysing student data to make informed decisions and strategies. Perhaps, the biggest differences in education today are seen in the areas of personalised learning experiences and on-demand tutoring. However, like any other tool, while the use of AI is imperative and pertinent, serious and cautious considerations should be made.
As this change is proceeding, there are some critical questions the government and other stakeholders alike must reflect upon. How is the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) and the country at large, considering the broader implications of AI in education? To what extent are our parents, educators and teachers prepared to understand and use generative AI both ethically and efficiently? What measures do we consider to ensure a forward-thinking approach to fully and cautiously embrace AI, now so that young people are exposed to AI? What plans and policies should MoESD put in place so that our ambitions and aspirations are driven purposefully and ethically? And in fulfilling all these, how do we leverage AI’s transformative potential to help realise our national vision of becoming a developed economy by 2034?
Following the Royal Kasho on Education Reform granted on 17th December 2021, which called for an education system that equips our children with 21st century competencies, a national transformation in education has been underway. It is becoming increasingly evident that AI is one of the most important, if not the most important, skill of the 21st century. Leveraging AI in the teaching and learning process will not only help enhance the efficiency of the system but also presents the added benefit of exposing our children to these powerful tools, which they will ultimately use and also, help build, in the future. According to the World Economic Forum, AI can foster education systems that are future ready, thus enabling Education 4.0, i.e., ‘teaching and learning approach that focuses on providing learners with the abilities, skills, attitudes and values fit for the future’ (WEF, 2024). Furthermore, a UNESCO article on AI identifies it as a tool to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 4; Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education (UNESCO, n.d.). Despite our limited resources, Bhutan is trying to move forward in the global AI movement, however, much remains to be done. For instance, UNDP’s 2024 Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment report for Bhutan presents key areas where gaps have to be closed. The report cites the need for specialised AI, machine learning and data science skills in its first pillar; Government as an enabler (UNDP, 2024).
WEF’s report on the role of AI in education underlines four key areas where AI can make significant impacts. Firstly, AI can assist teachers in augmenting and automating administrative tasks such as lesson planning and attendance taking. Additionally, it can also facilitate real-time assessment and feedback processes. The report also emphasises the role of integrating AI into the education system to support AI and digital literacy, thus helping narrow the growing digital skills gap. Finally, AI can help teachers deliver learning content and experiences tailored to the specific learning needs of individual students (WEF, 2024). According to White (2025), there is a cautious and purposeful drive by parents in the US to help children learn AI. Salman Khan in his book, Brave New Words, writes that students who use AI productively will experience exponential learning (Khan, 2024). Teachers can use AI as assistants to design and deliver lessons that are holistic, do assessments that are accurate and develop tailored lessons and remedial plans for individual students through AI generated feedback and analysis. Teachers can not only employ AI to better understand the learning needs and gaps of individual students, they can also use it to make the teaching-learning process more engaging and sticky (Khan, 2024).
Learning platforms such as Duolingo and Khanmigo of Khan Academy use AI algorithms to analyse students’ learning patterns, thereby customising educational content to suit and meet the learning pace of individual learners. Unlike other generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Khanmigo takes up the role of a facilitator. These tools don’t do the task for the user, instead it guides users to think, analyse and help achieve a task like a personalised tutor. With the aim to revolutionise the education system, Khanmigo is being piloted to over 266 schools in the US (Cooper, 2024). Similarly, to equip students with AI skills and to make the education system relevant and sustainable, starting March 2025, Korea introduced AI textbooks for their primary schools (Choi, 2024). In 2023, the UAE government announced that they were developing an AI tutor for Emirati students and teachers. The UAE AI tutor will be instituted to “provide 24/7 assistance as well as help level the playing field for those families who cannot afford a private tutor” (Welsch, 2023). More recently, the UAE also announced the introduction of mandatory AI subjects for students from kindergarten to grade 12, starting the next academic year (The National, 2025). While Singapore has developed AI learning platforms for its citizens and many other countries are also following suit. In Bhutan, Code Monkey was gifted by His Majesty The King to the Bhutanese children back in 2021. Teachers have been trained and coding competitions among children of grades six to eight have been held. In addition, MoESD developed the Sherig ICT curriculum and lesson plans on AI and Code Monkey that are available for everyone to download. In addition, following a successful piloting of Eduten, a digital platform for learning math with gamification and AI, MoESD has decided to expand Eduten to the higher grades.
As the Bhutanese saying goes, “We shouldn’t cross the river like a blind horse”. There are challenges to consider, solutions to brainstorm, plans to develop and implement to prepare ourselves for the AI revolution. This river we need to cross is important. The Cabinet in December of 2024 endorsed ‘The National Education Policy 2025’. Among the various policies, AI and robotics were endorsed to be incorporated in the school curriculum.
While the impact of AI in education is still very ambiguous with ongoing debates surrounding its use for both students and teachers, it is becoming evident that AI’s benefits can outweigh its disadvantages if used responsibly. Hence, it has become crucial that teachers and parents alike, learn how to use AI together with our children. There are online AI courses, AI guidance books/manuals such as RCSC’s guideline for civil servants and UNESCO’s Guidance for generative AI in education and research, and there are books on AI. How AI Thinks by Nigel Toon gives us insights on AI and AI for Educators by Matt Miller is a book that guides teachers to rethink AI as a tool that augments teaching. There is a whole wealth of information on AI if only we choose to learn. And we have to choose to learn AI because a recurring theme is that individuals who do not learn how to use AI will be replaced by those who do.
So, the river stands before us and crossing it is not a choice but a necessity. Should we not build our strength so that we cross it not merely to survive but to thrive – learning, evolving, fulfilling our purpose, and building a future that reflects our national aspirations?
Norbu Tshering
Sr. Research Officer, RIGSSThe post TRANSFORMING EDUCATION IN BHUTAN: THE ROLE OF AI IN SHAPING TEACHING AND LEARNING appeared first on RIGSS.
Professor Kaoru Lokibe will be speaking at the RIGSS Friday on Friday, 13th December, 2023 from 5.30 to 7.00PM at the RUB Convention Hall, Thimphu.
Embark on an extraordinary journey of personal and professional transformation with the captivating No. 1 New York Times best-selling author, Keith Ferrazzi. In this riveting discussion, join Keith as he illuminates his inspiring odyssey, transitioning seamlessly from the renowned insights of "Never Eat Alone" and "Who's Got your Back?" to the groundbreaking principles of "Leading Without Authority" and "Competing in the New World of Work".
The post Japan’s Road to Constitutional Monarchy: Lessons for Trust Building appeared first on RIGSS.
Registrations are open for the upcoming RIGSS Friday Forum on “SINO-INDIAN RELATIONS: FUNDAMENTALS, DYNAMICS AND TRAJECTORIES.”
H.E. Shivshankar Menon will speak at the RIGSS Friday Forum on 6th December 2024, from 6.15 to 7.45 PM at Yarkay IHCL SeleQtions, Thimphu, previously Dusit Yarkay. The event will be moderated by Dasho Dr. Sonam Kinga.
The post Sino-Indian Relations: Fundamentals, Dynamics and Trajectories. appeared first on RIGSS.
A RIGSS 11th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
A panel discussion on “Bridging Happiness and Prosperity: Experiences and Insights from Sweden” will be held on Tuesday, 15th October, 2024 from 5.30 to 7.00 PM at Hotel Yarkay, Thimphu. The panel will discuss possible lessons Bhutan could learn from the success of Sweden in light of the transformative journey Bhutan has embarked on including the building of the Gelephu Mindfulness City. The panel will be moderated by Dasho Karma Yonten.
The post A RIGSS 11th Anniversary Special appeared first on RIGSS.
Explore more with Saul Singer, co-author of the New York Times bestseller “Start-Up Nation” during his conversation with Dr. Tshering Cigay Dorji, Commissioner, Royal Civil Service Commission, at The RIGSS Dialogue on Thursday, 19th September at the RUB Convention Hall starting 5.30pm.
The post How Can Bhutan Become an Innovation Leader? appeared first on RIGSS.
We are living in an age where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising our everyday lives, transforming our economies and reshaping our social interactions. But what really is this AI that has become a topic of conversation everywhere, from dinner tables to public forums? Stanford Professor John McCarthy, who first coined the term in 1955, defined AI as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines”. AI, in its most basic sense, is the machine’s ability to think and act like human beings. From IBM’s Deep Blue machine defeating world champion Garry Kasparov at chess in 1997 to the launch of Open AI’s ChatGPT in 2022, AI has become the “most powerful tool that humans have created”. The advent of AI has brought about innumerable opportunities for human beings, allowing us to not just automate repetitive tasks but also provide innovative solutions to address global problems such as climate change. However, AI also poses critical challenges to humanity, most of which stem from our limited understanding of AI and our inability to keep pace with its rapid advancement. While the proliferation of AI presents implications for a wide spectrum of social constructs, the risk to democracy, an institution that fundamentally relies on the principles of equality and access to information, is even greater.
AI is redefining democracy, for better or for worse. Hence, it has become pertinent for democracies worldwide to put in place mechanisms to address these changes. Bhutan officially became a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy in 2008, with around 79.38 per cent of voters participating in the first National Assembly elections in March, followed by the enactment of the Constitution of Bhutan in July of the same year. Bhutan underwent a unique transition into democracy; unlike many nations where democracy was demanded by the people, in Bhutan, democracy was actually enforced by our far-sighted and visionary monarchs. Democracy has been running smoothly in Bhutan for the past 16 years, with the fourth democratically elected government assuming office just last “January. However, with more and more Bhutanese going online, “fake news on social media has already become a major challenge” for our political system. According to a Kuensel article, as of 2023, around 90 per cent of Bhutanese were active on at least one social media platform.
Disinformation, fake news and hate speech that builds on “fear, insecurity, societal divisions, and ideological polarisation” are some of the greatest threats to democracy as they cloud people’s judgement and, thereby, their ability to make well-informed decisions. The most common AI applied in spreading misinformation is Deepfake, a tool that can mimic a person’s voice and facial expressions. Deepfake technology has been utilised in countries elsewhere to misinform voters by making politicians say things they never actually said. India, the largest democracy in the world that recently went to the polls, grappled with the widespread use of Deepfake. For instance, videos of two popular Bollywood stars Ranveer Singh and Aamir Khan campaigning for the Congress party were widely circulated, which were later claimed to be AI-generated. Similarly, another video of Home Minister Amit Shah advocating for the abolition of quotas for Scheduled Castes and Tribes was also deemed fabricated. Other content such as pornographic images, audio files and video recordings created to defame the politicians were also largely disseminated.
AI-powered automated social media accounts that are programmed to act and converse like humans, often referred to as bots, are another example of how AI is being used for malice. While these bots are typically designed to spread harmless information, such as weather forecasts and advertisements, they are increasingly being created to deceive people online. According to Freedom House, bots were employed in at least 16 counties to “sow doubt, smear opponents, or influence public debate”. Such widespread use of AI to manipulate political narratives has given rise to a phenomenon called the “liar’s dividend,” whereby the ubiquitousness of false news undermines public confidence in actual facts. In April 2023, the circulation of audio clips of the then finance minister of Tamil Nadu accusing his party members sparked controversy in the State. Though he denounced the recordings as AI-generated, independent deepfake experts reported that portions of the tapes were real. Such practices can potentially disrupt public trust in democracy and its establishments. AI has also enabled governments to enhance their online censorship. Governments and political parties alike have been employing AI to “remove disfavoured political, social and religious speech,” thus broadcasting so-called half-baked information to the public.
AI-powered tools are also increasingly being deployed by governments to conduct mass surveillance without public consent, raising privacy and human right concerns. Though such monitoring and tracking systems can deter crime and disorder in society, they also allow governments to exert excess power over their citizens, thus risking the rise of authoritarian regimes. Advancements in AI and computing powers have also made it easier for cyber attackers to breach cyber defences, giving rise to cybercrimes. Such tools not only pose risks of election hacking but also expose government databases to potential misuse and exploitation. Cyberattacks and malware can also be employed to spread political and ideological propaganda. Apart from misinformation, the two biggest perils to democracy in this age of AI are, perhaps, those concerning the digital divide and power concentration. Billions of people around the world still cannot afford digital devices, let alone have the know-how to use these AI tools. In addition, only a handful of companies and governments have the resources to develop, train and deploy these systems. Microsoft, Google and Amazon together control over two-thirds of the global AI systems, giving them extensive power to steer the global AI landscape.
That being said, AI also holds immense potential to enhance democratic institutions by ensuring inclusivity, enhancing government services and promoting transparency. An example of how AI can be adopted by governments to promote inclusivity and enhance service delivery is Bhashini, an Indian government-owned AI-powered translation tool. Launched in 2022, Bhashini offers translation services to 22 scheduled languages to ensure seamless digital service delivery by “bridging the language and digital divide”. Prime Minister Modi also used this tool during his campaigns for the recent elections for real-time language translation. AI tools can be leveraged to educate and update citizens on different policy issues which can further help them make informed political arguments and decisions. In addition, citizen engagement platforms such as custom AI-powered Chatbots and Large Language Models (LLM) can be developed to address citizen queries and concerns, be it to seek guidance on electoral procedures or to seek clarifications from the candidates.
Moreover, AI can be used by election administrators to ensure transparency and fair play during elections. In 2022, an AI-driven online hate speech detector was launched in Kenya to counter misinformation and hate speech prior to their general elections. The tool summarised social media content in English, Kiswahili and Sheng, providing real-time data for timely interventions. According to an EU report, AI will also play a crucial role in policymaking by enabling policymakers to easily identify societal issues through fast data analysis while at the same time providing information to deepen their expertise on these topics. AI can also enhance the well-being of the people by offering innovative solutions to counter social problems such as corruption by tracking illegal financial flows and mitigating natural disasters by predicting potential climate threats.
The ever-evolving AI sector presents a promising future for humankind; however, it has become imperative to make our democratic systems future-proof and AI-proof. As Bruce Schneier, a public policy lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School, aptly states, “Our democratic systems have not evolved at the same pace that technologies have”. Hence, to minimise the probable risk that AI presents while maximising its benefits, governments should put in place strong, robust and adaptive regulations to govern its use, especially within the democratic context. This need is even more urgent in Bhutan, where democracy is still at its nascent stage, making us particularly vulnerable. Although not in the political sphere, Bhutanese have fallen victim to online scams using Deepfake technologies, and it may not be long before we see such conduct being replicated for political purposes. Moreover, as technology advances, it is reportedly becoming more and more challenging to differentiate between actual and AI-generated content. Therefore, instating clear guidelines for the use of AI to ensure transparency, accountability and protection of privacy has become imperative.
An effective way to curb the use of AI for misinformation, especially during the electoral process, would be to put in place AI detection tools and to ban the use of AI for political campaigns. For instance, the Federal Communications Commission of the United States outlawed the use of robocalls using AI-generated voices earlier this year. This measure was enacted to curb the dissemination of fake news leading to the upcoming elections. Further, providing AI and digital education to our citizens can help empower them to engage responsibly and critically with these technologies. To curb the negative implications of AI, Taiwan applied the pre-bunking method to educate their people, whereby videos of politicians being deepfaked along with ways to do it were widely circulated. This, according to Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s minister of Digital Affairs, helped build ‘inoculations’ in the people, making them resistant to fake news during their 2024 elections. Further, UNESCO’s report on Artificial Intelligence and Democracy highlights the need for a comprehensive national strategy on digitalisation and artificial intelligence. Such policies, according to the report, should be formulated and implemented through a multi-stakeholder approach to ensure that AI tools are applied to enhance rather than undermine democracy.
Countries must find innovative mechanisms to govern AI to harness its transformative advantages while safeguarding their democratic principles. While mapping out clear and stringent regulations is a step towards it, governments must also ensure that these rules do not hinder creativity and leave enough room for innovation to flourish. Helen Toner, a former board member of Open AI, in her TED talk on “How to Govern AI”, underscores three key strategies to achieve a balanced approach. Firstly, governments must focus on adaptability over certainty while designing policies to enable them to anticipate and respond to AI developments. Secondly, companies should be mandated to disclose information about the technology they are building and their use cases. These companies, she highlights, should allow external auditors to scrutinise and give feedback on their work. And lastly, incident reporting mechanisms should be established to allow governments to collect data on AI-related issues for informed problem-solving and decision-making. Thus, by implementing adaptive regulations, fostering transparency and encouraging responsible and ethical use of AI, countries can harness its potential to make their democratic institutions resilient and ready for the AI-driven world.
Yeshey Ohm Dhendup
Research Officer, RIGSSThe post DEMOCRACY IN THE AGE OF AI appeared first on RIGSS.
Seventy-one years ago, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay left behind a legacy of teamwork, audacity and adventure – inspiring the next generations to dream bigger and higher. Their indomitable spirit opened new horizons of what humanity can achieve with the right mindset and sheer determination. Since that historic achievement on May 29, 1953, the world's highest peak has witnessed many similar triumphs and at the same time many tribulations. Adding to the list of triumphs, Jigme Pelden Dorji, a young and promising lieutenant of the Royal Bhutan Army recently hoisted the country’s flag atop Mount Everest for the first time in the country’s history – making every Bhutanese swell with pride and honour. His achievement is not only symbolic of Bhutan’s ambitions and determination to leap out of mediocrity and commonplace but also an inspiration to many young generations to be limitless.
Sometimes, figuring out what is meaningful to you changes the course of your life and leads you to benefit people around you. This in turn drives you to do more for the good of the larger world. Such a profound drive a Purpose can be in one’s life.
Professor Kendall Bronk defines purpose as “a stable and generalised intention to accomplish something that is at once personally meaningful and at the same time leads to a productive engagement with some aspect of the world beyond self.” She has studied purpose in young adolescents for years. Her research has explored the relationship between purpose and healthy growth, the ways young people discover purpose, and the developmental trajectory of youth with strong commitments to various purposes in life. Further, she explored how passion and purpose contributed to the success of people like Blake Mycoskie and Steve Jobs in their leader developmental readiness. These leaders identified personally meaningful aims which they were passionate about and their purpose inspired others to follow them.
When Simon Anholt first wrote about ‘nation brand’ in 1996, he simply observed that the reputations of countries behave like the brand images of companies and products, and they are equally critical to the progress, prosperity, and good management of those places. However, since then, the term has prominently evolved into ‘nation branding’ albeit with some differences in meaning and context.
Countries today place huge importance on ‘nation branding’ and rightly so, as it has helped reap the targeted economic and social dividends. Today, one country that shines outright when it comes to successful nation branding is Singapore. The country, in its quest to become Asia’s leading global city, has consciously and painstakingly invested its time, money, talent and all the resources at its disposal to build ‘brand Singapore’ to where it ranks today.
Mr. Koh Buck Song, the author of ‘Brand Singapore’ writes, ‘As a country, you can be paradise on earth, but it’s no good at all if no one knows. The message has to be delivered well and get through to the target audience.”
Israel today remains one of the most dynamic & vibrant entrepreneurial economies in the world with more than 6,000 active start-ups, making it the world leader for start-ups per capita. The entrepreneurial and innovative spirits of Israelis are nothing short of inspirational and exemplary, and could offer a lot of insights and experiences to the fledgling start-up culture in Bhutan and elsewhere. Bhutan has recognized the importance of entrepreneurship in the 1990s and also launched various initiatives towards reaping its benefits. However, it is still in its nascent stage today and calls for a vibrant and dynamic entrepreneurial development in the country.
One of the authors of the Start-up nation, Saul Singer, writes "Israeli culture and regulations reflect a unique attitude to failure, one that has managed to repeatedly bring failed entrepreneurs back into the system to constructively use their experience to try again, rather than leave them permanently stigmatized and marginalized." This, perhaps, speaks volume behind the success of Israel as a start-up nation, having churned out thousands of high-growth entrepreneurs that revolutionized the global industries.
Leadership of the Self – What it means and entails
‘Leadership of the Self’- As self-explanatory and familiar as it sounds, the phrase merits a more profound understanding of what it entails to summon ‘leadership of the self’ within each one of us. It not only transcends the conventional barriers like gender, nationality, religion & power to exercise ‘leadership of the self’ but integrates & values humanity to its core.
Inspired by His Majesty The King’s address during the convocation at the University of Calcutta in India where His Majesty stated, “What we need is not a leader to lead the masses - we need Leadership of the Self”, the Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies is guided by this profound wisdom in all its leadership development programmes.
This pandemic has, among others, clearly defined and exuded ‘Leadership of the Self’ in action through an extraordinary exemplar in His Majesty The King. That Bhutan has been a success story thus far in dealing with the pandemic is inspired by the role model-ship provided by His Majesty, which has greatly helped in navigating the country through these turbulent times with direction, fortitude and unity.
Few have dared to dream different and found their niche by taking the road less travelled or, in literal terms, ‘taking the path less traversed’.
She is a wanderlust – hitting adventurous high notes by taking us to places in Bhutan we would not have known otherwise. We mostly traversed with her to the most remote and sacred sites in the country, even if virtually—exploring & discovering nature’s wonderment, local hospitality, culture and heritage, age-old traditions and customs—all that makes us truly blessed to be born in Bhutan.
In this episode, we are pleased to offer a getaway with Miss Tshering Denkar, the woman behind 'Denkars Getaway'. She will walk us through her journey of embracing and venturing into untested waters to pursue her passion with hopes for herself and the country. This not only requires having an outlook that goes beyond normal societal expectations and general conformity of a career in life but also resilience to face every curveball with grace.
Technology has presented a completely new evolution whereby we live in an era that surpasses our imagination every day with its limitless potential to revolutionize the economy, health, education, communication among many others.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly elicited the potential that technology holds for the future and made it acutely necessary for the world to embrace it, or risks being left behind.
In Bhutan, His Majesty has been a staunch believer in leveraging emerging technologies that hold a great deal of promise to achieve our national objectives, and therefore, has also been an impelling force to build and nurture a coherent environment to foster the same. With such profound blessings bestowed, we must work towards making our institutions smart, dynamic and efficient to promote a vibrant nation driven by technology as envisioned by His Majesty The King.
"Our nation's vision can only be fulfilled if the scope of our dreams and aspirations are matched by the reality of our commitment to nurturing our future citizens."- His Majesty The King
The King His Majesty The King has always acknowledged and attributed our country's remarkable journey of modernization and development within a short period to our education system. It is also with the same conviction on the importance of education that His Majesty has established the Royal Academy in Paro as a model school to foster a new approach to holistic education in keeping with changing times and demands of the 21st century. The Royal Academy aspires to be a centre for excellence, one where education is a dialectical process that enables collaboration among teachers, learners, teacher educators and research. It adopts a unique approach towards teaching and learning that are beyond the normal confines of classrooms and textbooks.
Clear and profound visions for reforms in the Bhutanese education system have been spelt through the Royal Decree issued on 113th National Day to ensure that our national hopes and aspirations are reflected in the classrooms of our future generations. As the education fraternity in the country gears towards this noble task of revolutionizing our education system, the RIGSS Podcast is happy to bring out this special episode on the Royal Academy in Paro as humble tribute to commemorate the 41st Birth Anniversary of His Majesty The King.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) remains one of Bhutan’s key development partners for almost 48 years since it first started its assistance program in Bhutan in 1973. Notwithstanding the challenges posed by the pandemic, the UNDP was quick to assess and evolve as necessitated by the situation and continues to forge a stout path ahead for a vibrant and resilient future.
In the sixth episode of the RIGSS Podcast, Ms. Azusa Kubota, the Resident Representative of UNDP for Bhutan talks about the emerging issues that have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and shares her thoughts on how Bhutan can navigate through such challenges to come out even stronger. Drawing from global experiences and knowledge, Ms. Kubota shares her perspective on how initial steps of innovation could be assimilated into our systems, particularly to enhance public sector service delivery, and how UNDP can work in close partnership with the Royal Government of Bhutan to that end. Some important highlights include addressing the knowing-doing gap, Bhutan's graduation from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category in 2023, Bhutan's Human Development Index (HDI) ranking, building capabilities, and personal reflections on her destined tryst with Bhutan.
UNDP Bhutan has been actively engaging and complementing the efforts of the government and the people of Bhutan by strengthening the democratic discourse and integrating and aligning their measures and support with the successive Five-Year Plans of the government.
As the UNDP Bhutan remains firm in its commitment and action towards balanced social, economic and environmental sustainability by shifting the focus towards re-thinking economy and governance to tune in with the changing times, Bhutan remains ever more confident and optimistic of what can be achieved together, going forward.
This is the final episode of the series by Dasho Dr. Sonam Kinga on the institution of Bhutanese Monarchy. In the two previous episodes of this series, Dasho provided a comparative perspective on Bhutan as a Monarchy and talked on what makes Bhutan’s Monarchy modern as opposed to the general perception of the institution as being outdated.
In this final episode of the trilogy series, Dasho will reveal the lesser known facts on the short, yet very important text of the “Genja” or the contractual agreement of 1907 that defined Bhutan as a modern monarchy and changed the course of Bhutan’s history forever.
Dasho explains the format and significance of the Genja in Bhutan’s history and provides his analysis on the symbolism and the content. By the end of the talk, we will get a better sense of why the unanimous enthronement of Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck as the First Hereditary King in 1907 was an answer to the collective aspirations of the Bhutanese people.
According to Dasho, the three historic events in the formation and development of the Bhutanese nation-state—the promulgation of the Pelden Druk Zung by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the founding of Monarchy, and the introduction of Parliamentary Democracy—all during times of peace and stability, is something very unique to Bhutan.
As we eagerly look forward to watch the LIVE National Day address of His Majesty The King tomorrow from the magnificent Punthang Dewai Chenpei Phodrang, what can be a better reminder of the historic event that took place 113 years ago in the same place where Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck was enthroned as the First King of Bhutan and the historic Genja was adopted that laid a secure foundation for Bhutan’s future.
We hope you’ll be able to better connect with our history, and gain a deeper understanding of the essence of our National Day by the end of the talk.
As we celebrate our 113th National Day tomorrow, RIGSS joins the nation to offer our deepest respects and gratitude, and humble Tashi Delek to the Wangchuck Dynasty for all the sacrifices and extraordinary leadership that have greatly shaped the destiny of our beloved country and her people. We wish all Bhutanese a Very Happy National Day la.
Pelden Drukpa Gyalo.
In this episode of the trilogy series on the Institution of the Bhutanese Monarchy, Dasho Dr. Sonam Kinga talks on “The Modernity of the Bhutanese Monarchy’ and questions prevailing ideas of monarchy as ancient, divinely ordained, feudal and irrelevant for modern society, and explains that the Bhutanese monarchy, on the contrary, is modern in ideological foundation and institutional design. He unpacks many assumptions and simplistic accounts of monarchy which are based on western experiences and then demonstrates the complexity surrounding this institution.
His comparative approach enables us to develop a deeper understanding about many aspects of our monarchy which were either unknown to us or taken for granted.
We hope you will find this episode educative and enlightening to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of why and how Bhutan’s Monarchy is dynamic, modern and one of a kind.
The trilogy series of a talk on the Institution of the Bhutanese Monarchy by Dasho Dr. Sonam Kinga has been specially curated to commemorate the momentous 113th National Day of Bhutan. The Part-I of this series will provide a comparative analysis of Bhutan’s Monarchy vis-zà-vis other monarchies and similar establishments around the world. Dasho provides a scholarly perspective on what makes us unique—one of a kind “Monarchy” in the world—and where we stand today as a nation.
We have come a long way—from a monastic government in the seventeenth century under Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel to the historic establishment of the hereditary monarchy with the enthronement of Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck as the First King of Bhutan on December 17, 1907. A hundred years later, the world witnessed yet another unprecedented event in history as Bhutan transitioned to a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy in 2008. As some observers say, the monarchs in Bhutan persuaded and convinced people to accept democracy.
Such a profound level of trust and faith between the Monarchs and the people is a ‘Special Blessing’ that perhaps only Bhutanese can comprehend and cherish. The burgeoning trust, love, and unwavering faith and respect by Bhutanese people of all generations is a testament to the selfless service and leadership of the successive sovereigns of the Wangchuck Dynasty.
Pelden Drukpa Gyalo.
The dynamics of professions around the world are changing at a rapid pace, so is the pattern of the gender-based division of leadership that is transitioning to accommodate more women in the fields which were once considered patriarchal strongholds.
There is no denying that women have sailed a long way in adding diversity to the workplace and continues to make slow yet steady strides in various leadership positions. We are also witnessing more women appointees in the international hierarchies and senior leadership positions as compared to the past decade or so that is gradually leveling the playing field and opening new dimensions for women altogether.
Her Excellency shares her perspectives on ‘Women Leadership in the 21st Century’; her career in foreign service that has mostly been a male-dominated sphere until less than a decade ago, impression of women leadership in Bhutan and her advice to the younger generation among other powerful messages.
The government campaigned and won the elections with the overarching goal of ‘Narrowing the Gap’. However, as the pandemic derails the 12th FYP, stalls economic development activities, and continues to disrupt the social sectors, it is likely to exacerbate the problem of inequality as much as it affects the country’s overall growth.
Exercising astuteness in mitigating the immediate socio-economic impacts of the pandemic while at the same time, formulating long-term cushion plans, remains both a priority and a challenge.
In this inaugural episode of the RIGSS Podcast, His Excellency the Prime Minister speaks on the 21st Century Economic Roadmap, Bhutan’s response to the pandemic so far and lessons learnt to build back better. His Excellency also shares his views on the prospect of Bhutan’s graduation from LDC by 2023, and underscores the importance of good bilateral and multi-lateral relations and global solidarity.