His Majesty The King granted an Audience to the participants of the 18th Golden Youth Award (GYA), a key initiative of the Bhutan Youth Development Fund (YDF), in Thimphu on 17 March 2026. The event, which runs from 12 to 20 March at the Nazhoen Pelri Youth Development Centre, has gathered 80 participants—40 boys and 40 girls—from 20 Dzongkhags in Bhutan, along with five Bhutanese youth residing in Perth, Australia.
The GYA, which was initiated in 2005 by Her Majesty Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck, is designed to cultivate young leaders in the country. Each year, the recipients of the awards are provided with scholarships to facilitate their education at esteemed international institutions, including United World Colleges and various schools across nations like the Netherlands, Singapore, Thailand, Canada, and India. This programme plays a crucial role in empowering Bhutanese youth by providing them access to quality education and leadership opportunities on a global platform.
