World Views Make a Difference Towards Global Transformation

The 3rd International Conference on “Gross National Happiness”
Nongkai/ Bangkok, Thailand

I admit, I was more than a little skeptical when I was first told that I would be joining a delegation from our volunteer peacemaker team to attend a conference in Thailand on “Gross National Happiness” (GNH). What purpose could it possibly serve to hold an international conference on the hazy theme of happiness? And aren’t there more important things to be worrying about these days? My skepticism quickly faded, however, when the conference began and I learned what the concept of GNH was all about. You see, the king of Bhutan initiated the first GNH conference in 2004 because he was tired of the way the world judged the success of a country based solely on their Gross Domestic Product. He decided that in this age of environmental degradation, rampant globalization, cultural decline and scarce resources, it was time to work together towards a new paradigm of success. At the first international conference in Bhutan, the four pillars that “GNH” works towards were created. They are as follows:
· Good Governance
· Sufficiency Economy
· Sustainable Environment
· Cultural Recovery


This year’s conference had two unique parts. Firstly, we, representatives from Bhutan, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Fiji, Burma, Sri Lanka, Tibet, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, U.S., England, Russia and Serbia gathered in a forest temple for three days in Nongkhai, Thailand. Monks, nuns and spiritual leaders from various religious backgrounds deeply enriched the experience. It was a meaningful time of religious and cultural dialogue, relationship building and discussions on such topics as “engaged spirituality”, “local wisdom”, “the urban/rural gap”, “right relationships with the environment”, “peace building” and much more.

After this informal, preliminary part of the conference, we traveled 12 hours by bus to Chulalonghorn University in Bangkok. It felt good to be back on the familiar ground of a university campus. In Bangkok, academics and representatives from governmental and non-governmental organizations from all over the world presented papers, held workshops and premiered films, all surrounding one or more of the four pillars of GNH. The Prime Ministers of both Thailand and Bhutan even made an appearance to offer their support at the opening ceremonies.

Highlights for me from this portion of the conference included a paper presented about conflict resolution used to help transform conflict between Buddhist and Muslim youth in a juvenile detention centre, a workshop about the storyteller’s role in society, a film By Helena Norberg-Hodge called “The Economics of Happiness”, a concert by a famous Sri Lankan musical ensemble and a conversation I had on a bus with an American woman who started an eco-village in Brazil 30 years ago. I don't know that I have ever been in the presence of such an eclectic mix of people before.

*If you want to learn more about the GNH paradigm, visit www.gnh-movement.org