His Majesty The King, Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen, and Their Royal Highnesses Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel, Gyalsey Ugyen Wangchuck, and Gyalsem Sonam Yangden Wangchuck were in Gelephu during the fourth Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) Volunteer Programme, held from 22 to 26 December.
More than 10,000 volunteers from across the country took part in the programme, carrying out zhabtog at multiple sites. Participants included Desuups, Gyalsups, Pelsups, students, civil servants, and volunteers from the private sector, NGOs, monastic institutions, and armed forces, as well as residents of Gelephu and other parts of the country.
On the final day of the programme, His Majesty granted tokha to the volunteers.
The Zhabto programme involved work along the Lotus-Born Trail following the historic route taken by Guru Rinpoche from the south of Bhutan to Bumthang in the 8th century, the Mindfulness Trail, and environmental and site development at highway corridors, parks, wetlands, and river areas in the GMC.
