Pelsung - Innovate For GMC Officially Launched

Gelephu Mindfulness City, Bhutan – October 7, 2025 – His Majesty The King, Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen, Their Royal Highnesses The Gyalseys, and Her Royal Highness The Gyalsem, along with the members of the Royal Family graced the inauguration of the Innovate for GMC Challenge in the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC).

During the ceremony, His Majesty The King officially announced the name of the programme — Pelsung - དཔལ་སྲུང: དཔལ་འབྱོར་ཕུན་ཚོགས་སྲུང་མི། Guardians of Peljor (Prosperity) and its role as the third pillar of nation-building. The name reflects the role of its members as co-architects and custodians of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), recognizing that their contributions will shape Bhutan’s economic future.

Together, the three pillars, De-suung, Gyalsung and Pelsung, will work in tandem, each a crucial instrument in strengthening the nation’s future. Pelsung marks the beginning of the journey to establish an innovation hub and a national pipeline of young and future leaders that will define the city’s sustainable development. The programme’s emblem, inspired by the Dorje Jadram (Double Vajra), was also launched. The Dorje Jadram is a sacred symbol often translated as the “thunderbolt” or “diamond,” representing indestructible strength, balance, and clarity. It reflects the program’s vision to foster mindful innovation rooted in Bhutanese values and aligns with GMC’s Diamond Strategy.

The inaugural cohort drew thousands of applications from in and outside of Bhutan, out of which 500 participants were selected. The participants represent a diverse mix of civil servants, private sector employees, students, and jobseekers, reflecting a cross-section of Bhutanese society eager to contribute to the nation’s future.

The first phase of Pelsung features a specially curated Youth Integration Training Program, developed with the support of the De-suung Organisation. This program is designed to cultivate a strong sense of companionship, community, and team spirit among participants as they embark on their innovation journey.

Throughout the program, participants will attend a series of GMC Talks delivered by workstream leads from the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority (GMCA). These sessions will provide valuable insights into the city’s broader goals, planning, and key thematic areas, helping participants align their solutions with GMC’s development priorities.

Following the integration program, participants will form groups to conceptualise, develop and experiment their ideas under four innovation themes:

1. Social and Cultural
2. Business and Commercial
3. Governance, Strategy, and Planning
4. Architecture, Engineering, and Urban Planning

Participants will also benefit from mentorship sessions led by experts from around the world, guided excursions across GMC, and field visits tailored to support the development and testing of their ideas. Pelsung seeks to nurture innovation, participation, upskilling, and a shared sense of purpose among Bhutanese youth, empowering them to meaningfully contribute to His Majesty’s Vision for the Gelephu Mindfulness City. It aims to grow Bhutanese youth into leaders of GMC, encouraging them to become adaptable, resilient and inquisitive. By involving the youth from the outset, the program ensures that they play an active role in shaping solutions and contributing to the mindful development of GMC.

About Pelsung

Pelsung is a flagship initiative in the Gelephu Mindfulness City aimed at engaging Bhutanese youth in designing and developing mindful solutions aligned with the National Vision for the city. Through innovation, collaboration, and capacity-building, the program empowers participants to contribute meaningfully to the creation of a sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready city.