Jaipur Literature Festival at Boulder Welcomes Special Guest Speaker Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck
Boulder, CO (PRWEB) August 02, 2016 -- The Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) at Boulder is honored to announce an extraordinary visit by the Queen Mother of Bhutan.
Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck is the author of Treasures of the Thunder Dragon: A Portrait of Bhutan and Of Rainbows and Clouds: The Life of Yab Ugyen Dorji as told to his Daughter and Dochula: A Spiritual Abode in Bhutan. Her Majesty will speak of her beloved Drukyul, the “Land of the Thunder Dragon,” and of the continuity and change that characterize it.
As the “happiest city” in the U.S., Boulder is a natural match to host royalty from the country that developed the concept of “Gross National Happiness” (GNH). His Majesty the fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, coined the phrase to reflect the “bridge between the fundamental values of kindness, equality and humanity and the necessary pursuit of economic growth.”
Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck is the Founder and president of the Tarayana foundation, which helps vulnerable individuals and communities to achieve economic security through education, medical care, the promotion of artisan skills and Folk craft. She is also the Chief Patron of “Mountain Echoes”- The Annual Literature Festival of Bhutan
The small nation of Bhutan lies deep within the Himalayas between China and India, two of the most populated countries in the world. But the country of about 750,000 people is an impressive environmental success story. Bhutan is not only carbon neutral, it’s carbon negative, with ample forests acting as a carbon “sink.” Some 72 percent of the country is forested, actually absorbing more carbon dioxide each year than its population produces. The country’s strong environmental protection policies guarantee that 60 percent of the country will remain forested forever.
“We are honored to welcome Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck to JLF at Boulder,” said Sanjoy K. Roy, Festival Producer. “We look forward to her insights regarding Bhutanese culture, society, environment and history, and how many of the country’s concepts can apply worldwide.”
“We at JLF at Boulder are honored by Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck's participation at the second edition of the Festival and look forward to sharing her deep understanding of literature, philanthropy and the natural and spiritual world,” said Festival co-director Namita Gokhale.
About JLF at Boulder
Rich with words and ideas, JLF at Boulder invites participants to join together in examining the depth and breadth of the human experience through the reflections and imaginations of more than 80 distinguished contemporary authors and speakers from around the world. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged at this Festival of ideas speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community.
Specific themes at JLF at Boulder 2016 will include migration, politics, women at war, trafficking and conflict; environmental concerns such as fracking, climate change, the declining bee population, famine, and water conservation; poetic imagination and creativity; and contemporary Native American life.
Other special guest speakers in Boulder this year include Viet Thanh Nguyen, the Vietnamese American 2016 Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sympathizer, and G. Willow Wilson, author of the novel Cairo and Marvel Comic’s Ms. Marvel, both featuring a female superhero with themes touching on feminism and Islam. More details and additional confirmed speakers can be found online at https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/boulder.
In its 9th year, Jaipur Literature Festival, dubbed “the greatest literary show on Earth,” is the world’s largest free literature festival. The Festival drew some 330,000 people to Diggi Palace in the Rajasthani capital this past January. The Festival serves as a beacon of free speech around the world, giving rise to more than 200 other literature festivals throughout South Asia and countries around the world.
JLF at Boulder takes place September 23-25, 2016 at the Main Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. A week of pre-events will be held at the Main Boulder Public Library and other locations. There is no admission fee, but attendees must register. For more information, confirmed speakers, and registration, visit https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/boulder.
Lisa Bell, Crescendo Communications, +1 (303) 579-8111, [email protected]
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