Diplomatic World_nummer 57

It is here then, that Bhutan’s emphasis on measuring
national levels of happiness, and subsequently to strive to
achieve high and sustained levels in the growth of happiness
rises to meet what have become key global issues, that of
ensuring that business does not exploit national resources,
that businesses are held accountable to the lives they
alter and that ecological issues are placed at the centre of
sustainable business growth.
Bhutan, with its dreamy sounding GNH may have been far
ahead of its time when it first announced its programme in
1971. And as the UN and other international organisations
continue to take on such parameters for happiness, we may
all have Bhutan to thank for a potentially happier world to
live in.
Dr. Pick Keobandith
Barbara Dietrich, H.E. Pema Choden and Dr. Pick Keobandith
H.E. PEMA CHODEN
Ambassador of Bhutan to Belgium and the European
Union with concurrent accreditation to Sweden,
Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and Spain.
Royal Bhutanese Embassy
H.E. Mrs Pema Choden studied a degree in Arts
in Bhutan after which she worked in the Bhutanese
Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Attaché. Following
further studies in Advanced French Language Skills, she
returned to the Ministry of Foreign affairs to take up the
role of Assistant Director. She was seconded to be first
secretary at the Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the
UN in Geneva between 2000 and 2003 after which she
was first Under Secretary and then Head of Policy and
Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Four years
(2007-2011) was spent as Managing Director of The
Bhutan Broadcasting Service. Choden was then Chief of
Europe, Americas and Africa Division of the Bilateral
Department. She has been Ambassador of Bhutan since
2014, her first position in Bangladesh has been followed
by her current role in Belgium and to the European
Union.
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