The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The first Creative Industries Export Strategy (CIES) for Bhutan 2021-2025 was inaugurated yesterday in the presence of Kinley T. Wangchuk, Director General of Department of Intellectual Property (DOIP), MoEA, Dorothy Tembo, Deputy Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC) and Gerald Daly, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Bhutan office.
The strategy is aimed at leveraging increased support towards creative endeavors of young artists and creators in Bhutan.
The CIES includes a detailed five-year plan of action with a set of activities to provide a solid foundation for the growth of the film, music, graphic design, including the related software development sector.
The strategy is said to follow 9-months of extensive consultations with medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), sector associations, public sector and training institutions which helped define the needs and priorities for developing the creative sector during 2021-2025.
The DOIP Director General, reading the message of MoEA Secretary, said, “Creativity in the Bhutanese arts and crafts has always been an intricate part of Bhutanese national consciousness”.
He added, “Bhutanese arts and crafts are not merely the remnants of a bygone age, but they are the manifestations of a living Bhutanese culture that are cherished and practiced as a tradition that continuously live in the minds of the people and society on everyday basis”.
Reportedly, the strategy aims at instituting a progressive, sustainable and high-quality creative sector based on detailed mapping and diagnostic review of the sector, which provides clear strategic directions for required reforms.
As per the press release, the Strategy has been developed to align and complement the objectives of the Bhutan Vision 2020, the 12th Five Year Plan and the 21st Century Economic Roadmap.
Dorothy Tembo, Deputy Executive Director, ITC, said, “The strategy will focus on establishing a favorable policy and regulatory framework as well as reinforcing the institutional and educational support in order to spark the creativity of medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to access key markets, while also supporting them to prepare for a post-COVID recovery.”
Mr. Gerald Daly, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Bhutan office said, “The country can benefit more from a well-coordinated approach in monetizing the cultural sector and this strategy paper provides that strategic direction. The strategy aims to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity. I firmly believe that the creative sector can largely contribute to the aspirations of the 21st century economic roadmap of Bhutan”.
The Strategy is a result of collaboration between the Department of Trade and Policy, Planning Division, MoEA and the ITC, under the Trade Development Strategy programme and its work on a creative industries methodology.
