ssb
4.6.2026, 18:00
Talk by Dr. Karma Phuntsho: "The Buddha as a Business Guru"
Venue: Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich (HWZ) in collaboration with the Society Switzerland-Bhutan
Lagerstrasse 5, 8021 Zürich (close to Zurich Mainstation)More information and registration under this link
Programme
Mindful Leadership: Leading Effectively in Complex Times – Inspired by Bhutan
- 6.00 pm: Welcome – Prof Dr Brian P. Rüeger, rector of HWZ, and Dr Hugo Bigi, head of the HWZ Bhutan Entrepreneurial Education Programme (BEEP)
- 6:10 pm: Bhutanese Wisdom Meets Modern Business – Dr Hugo Bigi & Dr Karma Phuntsho, founder and president of the Loden Foundation (Bhutan) as well as thought leader in mindfulness and values-based leadership
- 6.20 pm: Keynote “The Buddha as a Business Guru”– Dr Karma Phuntsho
- 6.45 pm: Results of the HWZ Bhutan Study: Rethinking Entrepreneurship: A GNH-Inspired Study between Bhutan and Switzerland – Prof Dr Claude Meier & Dr Tiziana Gaito, HWZ Research & Sustainability
- 6.55 pm: HWZ initiatives (CAS Building Mindful Organisations, Mindful Business Club) – Dr Hugo Bigi & Prof Dr Brian P. Rüeger
- 7:05 pm: Questions from the audience
- 7.15 pm: Apéro & networking
29.5.2026: Augusto Gansser - The Life of a World Explorer in Pictures
Date: Friday, 29.5.2026, 19:30
Venue Songtsen House, Tibetisch-Asiatisches Kulturzentrum, Gubelhangstrasse 7, 8050 Zürich Oerlikon, www.songtsenhouse.ch
Sold out: No admission without ticket
Highlights from the photographic archive and stories from the life of geologist Augusto Gansser, presented by Martin Müller and Vera Markus (granddaughter of Augusto Gansser).
The geologist Augusto Gansser (Baba Himalaya) led five expeditions to Bhutan between 1963 and 1977, amongst other ventures, and was the first to map the then-isolated kingdom. As early as 1936, disguised as a monk, he circumnavigated Mount Kailash. He also undertook research in South America, Iran, Ladakh, Nepal, Afghanistan, the Arctic and the Antarctic.
28.3.2026: SSB General Assembly 2026
Almost 70 members and guests attended the General Assembly 2026 of the Society Switzerland-Bhutan in Lucerne. Among them was a delegation from the Bhutanese Mission in Geneva.
In their annual report, the co-presidents Tina Roner and Claudio Zingg highlighted the financial and technical support that SSB provides to Bhutanese CSOs, schools and initiatives, such as the Loden Foundation's entrepreneurship support, training for CSOs, as well as support for school infrastructure, water supply, media and governance organisations. The report also covered collaborations with the Bhutan-Switzerland Society in Bhutan, events in Switzerland, like talks on the Gelephu Mindfulness City and the Loden TEWA projects and screenings of movies. Claudio Zingg also provided a summary of the latest developments in Bhutan.
Board 2026 - 2028
Tina Roner and Claudio Zingg were re-elected as co-presidents for the 2026–2028 term. In addition to the previous board members, Kathrin Frey, Thinley Chenzom Meier and Markus Wild, three new board members were elected: Corinne Denzler, Simona Mutti, and Kinga Dorji. With regrets we had to announce the resignation of our two longest-standing board members, Franz Gähwiler and Dieter Zürcher.
During the afternoon programme, Peter Knöpfel and Dominic Felder shared their experiences of working as trainers in the construction sector for the Dessung for Gyalsung Programme. Diego Salmeron provided an insight into the New Phuentsholing Town project and his role as an external consultant.
Downloads
23.1.2026: Film: With Love from Bhutan (Bhutan, 2024)
Venue: Songtsen House Zurich
Video Introduction to the Film by the Director Charmi Chheda
Synopsis
Jimmy, an American student of food anthropology with Bhutanese roots, returns to Bhutan after twenty years. His mother Jane once ran the pioneering Pelbue restaurant in Thimphu before abruptly leaving Bhutan with Jimmy, but without her stepdaughter Yangchen. Jane's sudden departure left scars. Yangchen, his stepsister, felt abandoned, grew up as a loner and found solace in the landscapes of Bhutan. Back in Bhutan, Jimmy stays with his friend Angay and tries to reconnect with Yangchen, who has now become a stranger to him.
10.9.25: Excursion to Häring AG in Burgdorf
Häring Timber Technology AG has been actively involved in applying timber technology in Bhutan since 2012. Through its collaboration with the National Resource Development Co. Ltd., it has been able to make decisive contributions to the development of the timber value chain in Bhutan. The country is now endeavouring to achieve Swiss timber construction standards and promotes itself as a supplier of quality timber products - both for its own national projects and for the international market.
16.9.2025, 18:00: "HWZ and Bhutan: Connecting Worlds Through Entrepreneurial Education"
SSB in collaboration with HWZ Zurich (Link)
Speakers:
- Dr Hugo Bigi, Head of the HWZ Bhutan Entrepreneurial Education Programme BEEP: ‘BEEP - Bridging Bhutanese Values with International Business Practices’
- Prof. Dr Claude Meier & Dr Tiziana Gaito, HWZ Research & Sustainability: "Rethinking Entrepreneurship: A GNH-Inspired Study between Bhutan and Switzerland"
- Sangay Tshering, President Loden Foundation, IT entrepreneur in Bhutan. ‘Entrepreneurship in Bhutan’
- Rabsel Dorji, Head of Communication Gelephu Mindfulness City GMC, Bhutan: ‘Gelephu: The World's First Mindfulness City’
- Claudio Zingg, Co-President Society Switzerland-Bhutan SSB: ‘Bhutan & Switzerland - Far Apart and Close Together’
17.9.2025, 18:30: "Bhutan's Path to a Mindful Future"
SSB in collaboration with Asia Society Switzerland
In this Talk at the Library Asia Society Switzerland and the Society Switzerland-Bhutan welcomed two of Bhutan’s leading changemakers.
Rabsel Dorji, Head of Communications for the Gelephu Mindfulness City project, shared the story behind Bhutan’s most ambitious development initiative to date – envisioned by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck –a visionary special administrative region designed around sustainability, spirituality, and regional connectivity.
Sangay Tshering, founder of Green E-Solutions and President of the Loden Foundation, explores how Bhutan’s next generation of entrepreneurs is building businesses that are both financially viable and socially meaningful.
Here you find the link to the video of the talk.
14.6.2025: BBQ Reception at the Residence of the Bhutanese Ambassdor in Chambésy
The Bhutan Mission in Geneva has invited to a BBQ at the residence of the Ambassador. The Society Switzerland-Bhutan would like to thank Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk and his team for organizing again such a wonderful event.
Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk will be returning to Bhutan in July. SSB would like to thank him for the excellent collaboration over the last five years and we wish him all the best for his new tasks.
14. – 19.3.2025: Agent of Happiness on Tour in Switzerland
Together with the distributor TRIGON the Society Switzerland-Bhutan was organizing a promotional tour of the documentary «Agent of Happiness» in Switzerland. The two film directors, Dorottya Zurbò and Arun Bhattarai, captivated the audience with their film and their responses during the Q&A sessions, which were enhanced by their engaging personalities.
You can order a DVD https://shop.trigon-film.org/de/DVD/Agent_of_Happiness
or watch the movie on FILMINGO: https://www.filmingo.ch/de/films/1833-
General Assembly 2025
Saturday, March 15, 2025, Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich (PHZH)
For the first time, the two co-presidents, Tina Roner and Claudio Zingg, led the General Assembly, providing an overview of the projects in Switzerland and Bhutan.
The GA was honoured by the presence of Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk and his team.
A real highlight was the pre-premiere of Agent of Happiness and the Q&A with the two film directors, Dorottya Zurbò and Arun Bhattarai.
Download Minutes GA 2025
View the Movie "Country Life in the Bumthang Valley Bhutan 1974 – 1982" on YouTube
A Movie by our member Marie-Noëlle Frei-Pont
Far Apart and Close Together
Building on the deep friendship and enduring partnership between Switzerland and Bhutan, the Society Switzerland-Bhutan (SSB) was founded in 2000 as a Swiss association with a mission to encourage social, charitable, ecological, cultural and other philanthropic projects.
SSB works hand-in-hand with people on the ground in Bhutan, particularly with its local sister organisation Bhutan-Switzerland Society (BSS).
The Society Switzerland Bhutan (SSB) was founded in 2000 with the purpose to deepen and further strengthen the unique bonds of friendship between the people of Bhutan and Switzerland. With its more then 250 members from all over Switzerland the society’s main objectives are:
-
Strengthening civil society and market-oriented small-scale entrepreneurship
-
Promoting knowledge transfer and mutual understanding in both countries
-
SSB and BSS are competent and acknowledged promoters of mutual values
Over the years a strong partnership has evolved to support these challenging objectives. It is our close cooperation with the Bhutan Switzerland Society, based in Thimphu, which helps us to identify, evaluate, plan, implement and monitor our activities and projects in Bhutan. The development of this partnership will be our strategic focal point for the coming years.
In Switzerland the SSB organizes public events, excursions and discussions that emphasise on cultural and societal exchange and publishes a quarterly newsletter based on actualities.
All of our activities are funded by our more than 260 members whereas larger programmes and projects are financed by private and public donors. SSB is exempted from tax.
Profile of the Society Switzerland-Bhutan
Information about the Society Switzerland-Bhutan and the activities 2021 and 2022 > pdf
Flyer
> Flyer (November 2021 / pdf)
Strategy 2023-2027
Agreement on Co-operation between Society Switzerland-Bhutan (SSB)
and Bhutan-Switzerland (SBS)
signed in Thimphu on December 2, 2009
> pdf
Memorandum of Understanding
between Bhutan-Swiss Friendship Association and Druk-Switzerland Thuendrel Tshogpa
signed in Thimphu on November 12, 2001
> pdf
Profile of the Society Switzerland-Bhutan
Information about the Society Switzerland-Bhutan and the activities 2020 and 2022 > pdf
Documentary: 20 Years Bhutan Switzerland Society (BSS) Thimphu (2022)
Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji (President BSS until 2022) and Marianne Frei (President SSB until 2020) are giving an overview of the activities and the co-operation of the two societies illustrated with some examples.
The movie was first screened at the commemorative event of 20 years BSS on October 26th, 2022 in Thimphu.
Director: Tashi Rabgyel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOEWT61gqlc
Documentary: People to People Partnership
Documentary produced by Society Switzerland-Bhutan & Society Bhutan-Switzerland, 2014
https://youtu.be/seYai8zlZkw
Activities carried out by Society Switzerland-Bhutan & Bhutan-Switzerland Society, 2004 - 2020.
Between 2004 and 2020 SSB has supported with the membership fees and donations of its members 58 projects with a total of about CHF 600’000.-.
> pdf
HELVETAS Project Managers 1960-2008
We welcome any corrections or additions. Any false information is regretted.
> pdf
