Bhutan has announced plans for the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), a $100 billion project designed to redefine capitalism by emphasizing sustainability and well-being. Led by former Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering, now governor of the GMC, the initiative aims to attract foreign companies practicing “mindful capitalism.”
The project is part of broader economic reforms addressing challenges like youth unemployment, a declining birth rate, and sluggish tourism recovery post-pandemic. The GMC will feature a low-rise metropolis integrating ecological harmony and spiritual contentment, with all operations powered by renewable energy.
Bhutan seeks to leverage its hydropower potential and educated, English-speaking populace while navigating geopolitical pressures from neighboring giants India and China. The project represents Bhutan’s attempt to modernize while maintaining its unique cultural and environmental values.