Phase I April, 2010-April 2013 (Three Years)
Budget 6,00,000 € (EU funded) and 70560 € (Helvetas Funded)
Partner Gross
National Happiness Commission, Department of Culture
(MoHCA) Tourism Council of Bhutan, Department of Local
Governance ( MoHCA)
Contact Kunzang Dorji, Project Manager, kunzang.dorji@helvetas.org
Location/Geographic Coverage:
Dorokha Gewog (Samtse District), Ngangla Gewog (Zhemgang District),
Gongdu Gewog and Kengkhar Gewog, (Mongar District)
Bhutan’s cultural diversity contributes to poverty alleviation, livelihood improvement and enhanced local ownership through capacity building, intercultural dialogue and preservation measures.
Specific objective:
The preservation of traditions is strengthened through the generation of employment and economic benefits from leveraging cultural heritage.
Access to information on cultural diversity in Bhutan is widened along with the promotion of intercultural dialogue.
Capacity-building in the local cultural/anthropological sector provides necessary skills for valorisation and preservation of Bhutanese cultural Diversity.
main achievements
Three target communities have been identified for cultural preservation through close consultation with the communities. They are: The Lhops in Lotokuchu Jigme, Singye and Wangchuck, Dorokha Dungkhag( sub-division), Samtse Dzongkhag ( district) the Rai Communities living in three villages of Lumbey, Sengteng and Lepchagaon in Dorokha, Samtse Dzongkhag. In Zhemgang, the Kheng community in Ngangla Gewog (block).
challenges
Except for the Lhops, no substantive anthropological studies or research has been done in these communities on which project activities could be based on. The target communities are located in remote regions. The physical features, the weather conditions determine timely implementation of the project activities.
Outlook
At the end of the project it is expected that a detailed documentation will be done on local culture (traditions, food ways, belief systems, social systems, festivals, material culture, identification of heritage sites etc. Capacity for cultural preservation and anthropological studies and community organisations would have been developed. The dissemination of information locally, nationally and globally will be carried out. Community based preservation of culture will be established to support future tourism.