DISCOVER BHUTAN – Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival

 Come August, the mountains of Thimphu, the serene capital city of Bhutan, will once again reveberate with stories and a flurry of exciting workshops and talks delivered by writers and literary figures from Bhutan and around the world. 

Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival, the only premier festival of arts, literature, and culture in the Himalayan Kingdom, is gearing up for its 13th edition, which will be held from August 3rd to August 5th this year. 

Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival was established in 2010 by Bhutan Echoes – a literature and arts initiative that coordinates and produces events to promote literature, culture, and art in Bhutan – under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk. In 2020, His Majesty the King of Bhutan renamed the festival as ‘Drukyul’s Literature Festival’ to promote more local engagement. 

Post-Covid, Bhutan Echoes has become a year-round initiative of Drukyul’s Literature Festival that aims to nurture a literary culture in Bhutan through a range of digital and in-person programs and projects.

Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival serves as a vibrant melting pot where art and literature come alive, transcending boundaries and fostering connections among people from diverse backgrounds. At its core, Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival aspires to foster cultural exchange, nurture artistic talents, and promote dialogue on important societal issues. 

Over the years, the festival has evolved into a vibrant celebration of creativity and imagination, attracting renowned literary figures from around the world.

The festival has played host to international literary figures such as Pico Iyer, Ruskin Bond, and Vikram Seth, to name a few, alongside celebrated Bhutanese authors like Kunzang Choden and Her Majesty the Queen Mother herself.

The program lineup of previous editions of the festival included an eccletic selection of panel discussions, workshops, and performances spearheaded by celebrated authors and intellectuals. The festival attracts a large gathering of participants, both local and foreigners alike. 

Inspired by His Majesty the King’s englightened vision, the theme for this year’s edition of Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival is ‘mindfulness’. This theme, rooted in Bhutanese values of compassion, harmony, and self-awareness, serves as a guiding light for the festival’s endeavors. 

Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival 2024 hopes to inspire participants to contemplate and reflect on the transformative power of literature and art in cultivating mindfulness and wellbeing. And of course, participants can look forward to a diverse lineup of speakers, immersive workshops, and captivating performances that celebrate the intersection of art, literature, and mindfulness.

As the anticipation builds and August draws near, the stage is set for another spellbinding edition of storytelling and cultural exchange in the mountains of Thimphu.

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