Report on the Bhutan Seminar Series 2025 (Apr. & May.2025)

2025年5月30日更新

Beginning in FY2021, the Global Collaboration Center is hosting regional research-based seminars to (1) learn about the Kingdom of Bhutan, which is located in South Asia, and (2) examine development policies and the situation of the country and region in light of these issues. Each seminar includes a film screening, a brief commentary by the presenter, and a question-and-answer session. A total of 15 sessions are scheduled for FY2025.

1st Seminar in the Bhutan Seminar Series 2025 (2025.4.25)

The first Bhutan Seminar of the 2025 academic year took place online on Friday, 25 April. The first session (the 61st overall) explored the latest trends in Bhutanese travel and cultural experiences as depicted in Indian YouTube videos. After watching the videos, commentator Lecturer Hirayama gave a brief talk on changes to the travel system and the number of foreign visitors before and after the pandemic, as well as the appeal of Bhutan as a travel destination from an Indian perspective. Information sharing then continued in the form of answering questions from participants.

About 70 people attended this seminar. Here are some of the participants’ comments: “This was my first time attending. I knew nothing about Bhutan, so I enjoyed watching,” and “It was meaningful to observe Bhutan's current cities and temples, as well as glimpse aspects of their lifestyle.”

Schedule of the Bhuthan Seminar Series 2025
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2nd Seminar in the Bhutan Seminar Series 2025 (2025.5.23)

The 2nd seminar of FY2025 took place on Friday 23rd May. The 62nd seminar overall, it featured Chinese YouTube videos showcasing festivals and townscapes in the capital city of Thimphu. After watching the videos, commentator Lecturer Hirayama gave a brief summary of the scenes and interviews. This was followed by a lively Q&A session and an exchange of opinions with the participants.

About 50 people attended this seminar. Here are some of the participants’ comments: “As Lecturer Hirayama initially pointed out, the strong presence of Chinese Inspector Lei in the video might be controversial... but this time, the seminar was challenging in its attempt to ‘view Bhutan from a Chinese perspective,’ which was interesting.” “Watching this video, I found it very interesting to see the differences in perspective and demeanor between Indian and Chinese YouTubers (though I'm sure there are individual differences, of course) .” “It was meaningful that time was set aside to review the previous seminar's survey results and address the questions and requests raised.”

Basic Information About Bhutan
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