Bhutan builds 108 stupas for new city
Tens of thousands build 108 Buddhist stupas for Bhutan ‘mindfulness’ city
Monday, 2 November 2026
Photo by Boris Busorgin on Unsplash
Warm-up
- Have you ever helped as a volunteer? What did you do?
- What comes to mind when you hear the word mindfulness?
- Why do people move from small towns to big cities?
Vocabulary
- volunteer
- a person who works without pay to help
- monument
- a large structure built to remember or honour something
- ceremony
- a formal event with special actions or speeches
- border
- the line where two countries meet
- architect
- a person who designs buildings or cities
- investment
- money put into a project to help it grow
- unemployment
- the state of not having a job
- migration
- the movement of people to live or work in another place
Reading
Listen to this story
British EnglishTens of thousands of volunteers built 108 Buddhist stupas in Bhutan for a new mindfulness city. The 15-metre monuments were set along 12km of riverbank near the Indian border, at Gelephu. About 200,000 people joined a ceremony, and King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck thanked the workers.
The city in southern Bhutan was created as a special zone by royal charter in 2024. It was conceived by the king and designed by Danish architects. Leaders say it will boost growth and attract investment in green business and services, so more young people stay.
Bhutan faces rising unemployment and migration of skilled workers. Plans include a link to India's railway in Assam and an international airport due in 2029. The landlocked nation also promotes Gross National Happiness alongside economic growth.
Comprehension
- What did the volunteers build, and how many were there?
- Where were the stupas installed?
- Who conceived the Gelephu Mindfulness City?
- What is one main goal of the new city?
- What two transport links are planned for the area?
Grammar focus
Past simple
Use the past simple for finished actions in the past. Form: regular verbs + -ed; irregular forms change (built, was/were). Time words often show the past: yesterday, last year, in 2024, ago.
- Tens of thousands of volunteers built 108 Buddhist stupas in Bhutan.
- The city in southern Bhutan was created as a special zone in 2024.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with the past simple form.
- Danish architects (design) ___ the city plan.
- At the ceremony, the king (thank) ___ the workers.
- The monuments (set) ___ along the riverbank.
- Many volunteers (build) ___ together on Sunday.
- At the ceremony, the king (say) ___ he was truly grateful.
Discussion
- Would you visit a city designed for mindfulness? Why or why not?
- What could keep young people in your town or country?
- How can a new city protect local culture and nature?
- Is building monuments a good way to unite people? Explain.
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