Strategy
Agreement | Purpose| Memorandum of Understanding
Agreement on Co-operation between Society Switzerland-Bhutan (SSB) and Bhutan-Switzerland (SBS)
signed in Thimphu on December 2, 2009
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The Society’s purpose is to further strengthen the friendship between Switzerland and Bhutan. This purpose shall be served through:
- the Society’s function as a communication and information forum which facilitates the insight into the cultural, spiritual, social, economical and political life of Bhutan and Switzerland;
- the exchange of knowledge and experience,
as well as the training of professionals;
- the provision of background information and commentaries with respect to the media presentation of the partner countries of this Society;
- the development, promotion and implementation of projects and happenings which support the Society’s purpose;
- the co-operation with other Bhutan Society’s
and, if appropriate, with other institutions and organisations; in particular she endeavours to establish a sister organisation in Bhutan.
Memorandum of Understanding
between Bhutan-Swiss Friendship Association
and Druk-Switzerland Thuendrel Tshogpa
PRELIMINARY
The members of the two associations are committed to strengthening and
expanding the existing cooperation between the people of the two countries
in line with mutually agreed priorities. The focus of this association
will be 'people to people'. The activities thereby undertaken by the two
associations will not overlap or duplicate other existing bilateral development
cooperation. Not withstanding the fields of cooperation identified in
this Memorandum of Understanding, the scope of activities may be broadened
with the consensus of both the associations in the coming years.
Farmers Training
1. Young Bhutanese farmers can be selected on the basis of their proven
commitment to be farmers in Bhutan. They will be selected and sent to
work and stay with host families in Swiss farms with a view to augmenting
their skills and knowledge in crop, dairy and forestry production and
processing.
Sports and Cultural Cooperation
2. Activities which promote culture and heritage of Bhutan in Switzerland
and that of Switzerland in Bhutan will be facilitated by the two associations.
This may include support to the preservation of cultural projects, and
artists such as musicians, dancers, artists, craftsmen etc. Bhutanese
sportsmen, especially with expertise in archery, can visit Switzerland
to promote traditional archery. Similarly, Swiss arts and culture could
be promoted in Bhutan through visits of their artists and organisation
of exhibitions.
Exchange of Media PersonneI and Academic
3. A well functioning media is particularly important for the growth
of civil societies. Training of media personnel as well as academics from
autonomous agencies will be a focus of cooperation between the two associations.
For the promotion of understanding between Swiss and Bhutanese people,
exchange of visits between media and academics will be promoted. There
could be institutional partnership between such bodies.
City Partnerships
4. Urbanisation is taking place in many places in Bhutan. Some cities
of Bhutan may be linked with cities in Switzerland in order to seek technical
and financial assistance. The two associations will look into the possibility
to establish a linkage programme.
School-to-School Friendship Linkage
5. Certain schools in Switzerland and rural Bhutan can be linked via
e-mail and correspondence as sister schools. Students of the two countries
can embark on a programme to write to each other sharing news and opinions,
thus building awareness in other countries of their respective societies.
In order to enable the Bhutanese students to undertake this information
sharing and friendship building exercise, the school in Switzerland could
consider funding the modest cost of correspondence and communication,
which would otherwise hinder the Bhutanese students from doing so.
Funding Arrangements
6. The two associations will endeavour to explore various sources
of fund, including foundations, subscription fees of members, and individual
benefactors to implement the mutually agreed activities.
Signed in Thimphu on 12, November, 2001
Ernst Reinhardt
President
Bhuan-Swiss Friendship Association
Pema Wangchuck
Chairman
Druk-Switzerland Thuendrel Tshogpa
