On the 24th of June, the historic Wangdue Phodrang
Dzong was destroyed by fire.
However, through the efforts of the armed forces,
dzongkhag officials, De-suups and concerned citizens, we were able to retrieve
our sacred relics. I am deeply grateful.
It is through the strength and faith of our people and the
spirituality of our nation that these sacred ancient treasures remain with us,
in spite of the tragic fire.
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, our people from
all walks of life have strived, within each one’s means, to contribute towards
fulfilling our fervent hope that the dzong may be urgently restored.
I am deeply touched and inspired by our people’s unity and
nobility of purpose.
Therefore, I hereby grant Nu. 100 million from the Armed
Forces to the Zhung Dratshang for the Dzong Reconstruction Fund.
In addition, I offer Nu. 100 million from the Kidu
Foundation.
These funds I grant on behalf of our People of the 20
dzongkhags and together as one, my People and I, pray for the continued peace,
prosperity and happiness of our beloved nation.
Granted on the 13th of July 2012
Punakha Dzong
(His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo)
The older the historical buildings and their contents, the more they are vulnerable to "stockpiling" and other violations of commonly-accepted fire safety standards. I hope that the govt of Bhutan will prioritize the installation of fire safety measures in the many beautiful ancient buildings. This could even be partially funded by tourist entry passes, by grants via UNESCO, etc.
ReplyDelete