19 October 2026
Photo: Hannah Scott/ANU
The ANU Crawford School of Public Policy delegation had the honour of meeting with the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lyonchhen Dasho Tshering Tobgay.
A pivotal figure in Bhutan's democratic journey as co-founder of its first registered political party, the People’s Democratic Party, Prime Minister Tobgay hosted a lively and wide-ranging discussion with our team. We explored critical priority areas—from the visionary Gelephu Mindfulness City initiative to AI and technology governance, climate and agricultural policy, and navigating demographic change."
Discussion also focused on the upcoming launch of the Hub for Bhutan Studies which will be located at the Crawford School of Public Policy. The Hub builds on a long-standing relationship between the Crawford School and Bhutan, a partnership rooted in decades of shared learning, deep people-to-people connections, and a proud history of helping shape many of Bhutan’s key leaders
The Prime Minister shared some deeply personal advice with our delegation, encouraging us to take the time to truly experience the beauty of Bhutan, he reminded us that to protect a place, you must first deeply understand what you are working to save.