International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Monday was International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is a United Nations initiative to raise awareness on the challenges, issues, and successes of persons with disabilities around the world. In Bhutan, a large event was sponsored by Coca-Cola, Ability Bhutan, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and many schools that have students with disabilities (both inclusive and segregated). Since a lot of these schools are involved in my research, I will try my best to keep things anonymous below. 

The event was held at the athletic grounds of a local high school in Thimphu – probably the nicest track in Bhutan (and that includes the National Stadium). Emily and I arrived at 8:00am and preparations were well under way. Because Her Majesty, the Druk Gyaltsuen [Dragon Queen of Bhutan] was going to be attendance, there were a lot of protocols and security measures that must be followed and many people from the Royal office were there to make sure things were just right. (A few people told me that the King and Queen aren't really that into all the fuss that is made around them but, rather, it is the people just below them that are sticklers for official protocol.) A dozen of my students showed up around 8am as well to volunteer, which is commendable considering final examinations had just finished at RTC and the students were just beginning their three-month vacation. 

I met up with several of my friends that work on disability-related services and issues here, included my friend Jennifer who works for Ability Bhutan, and we tried to help out in the preparations wherever we could. Because the Gyaltsuen and many Ministers and members of the National Council were going to be in attendance, Emily and I dressed in traditional Bhutanese formal attire (as many of you have seen on Facebook). The male Gho and the female Kira are difficult to put on and we had to have my students assist us in putting them on. How many teachers can say they have been dressed by their students! 

The Gyaltsuen arrived promptly at 10:00am. There are strict rules about photographing anyone from the Royal Family, so unfortunately I don't have any photos to show you. (There were 'official' Royal photographers that were in abundance.) After the Gyaltsuen was seated, the presentation began with a few speeches and introductory pleasantries. During the morning program there were dances, races, a drama presentation, and several songs. The Gyaltsuen attentively took in the day and was very enthusiastic – which I would think would be exhausting to have to be 'on' all the time as a monarch. 

After the morning events and closing remarks, the Gyaltsuen rose to meet the participants and look at the artwork that was on sale to raise money for Ability Bhutan. As the Gyaltsuen made here way along the crowd, she stopped to talk to Emily and I and my students. I told her about our time in Bhutan and she was very pleased about the research and work that I was doing. Other Ministers walked by, including the Minister of Education, and we chatted briefly. 

There was a lunch that was being served, but the Gyaltsuen and the higher-up officials left before then. 

In the late afternoon, a forum was being held at the Department of Youth and Sports (DYS) auditorium. Many officials were there, including many people that I know from various schools, NGOs, and foundations that work on disability issues in Bhutan. There were some interesting presentations and discussions, and lots of talk about how much Bhutan still had to do for persons with disabilities. Near the end, I (unofficially) spoke about my preliminary research findings about how Bhutan already has much of the societal and cultural tools internally to provide an inclusive education and inclusive society for all people, and not to get down on themselves and think that all of the solutions needed to come from outside the country. That was well-received. 

There was a dinner that followed the forum and spent most of that time talking with the Director of Special Education in Bhutan. He is very interested in meeting with me to discuss things further so, needless to say, that was very exciting (both personally and professionally)! 

This week there was also a three-day conference put on by some medical professionals from the San Francisco Bay-Area on neurodevelopment and disabilities. I won't say much here about it, but it was an ethnographic goldmine as they kept referring over and over again to Bhutan as a 'developing' nation and the United States as a 'developed' and 'wealthy' nation. They also came very much from a medical-model perspective on disabilities, and kept saying things like 'abnormal,' 'atypical,' 'dysfunctional,' 'deviance' and 'disorder.' This conference was very hard for me to take-in quietly as an ethnographer because I am very much opposed to this model, in favor of the social model of disability instead. What was even more interesting was that the audience – made up mostly of physiotherapists and special educators – were very welcoming of the information from the conference that would better allow them to medically diagnose disabilities. 

So, all in all, it has been a great week for me in all aspects of my roles here in Bhutan. I finished my semester at RTC (blog post coming soon on that), spoke with several people in high positions regarding my research, and strengthened my personal connections with existing friends and colleagues that directly provide services for persons with disabilities in Bhutan. In the Spring, I will be very busy formally talking with officials, visiting more schools, and being involved with more organizations. My friend Jennifer is leaving Ability Bhutan to return to the United States, and I will be helping out there as a Special Education consultant. I am also going to assist the committee that is forming the new Special Education Law in Bhutan. Exciting times! 

Lots of pictures below...

Preparing the grounds. 

Our Bhutanese selves. 

Jennifer and I. 

Two of the professionals at a Special Education school in Thimphu. 

Jennifer mixes with the kids before the morning events. 

Me and my student volunteers. 

Emily and my female students. 

The races begin! 

A dance presentation from one of the schools. 

A theatre troupe does a skit on disability labels. 

Peldon sings a song.
At the Special Olympics in Greece, he won a gold medal. 

The Program Coordinator for a Special School in Thimphu addresses the crowd. 

The Gyaltsuen mingles with the participants at the end of the morning events.
(I had to keep this picture in wide-angle, lest I get in trouble for taking a picture of the Queen.)