To ensure the long-term sustainability of the Jomolhari Mountain Festival, Thimphu Dzongkhag launched an endowment fundraiser during the festival’s final day in Soe Gewog earlier this week. The goal is to raise over USD 400,000 from tourists and donors. The fundraising began by distributing green cards to tourists at the event, explaining the initiative.
The annual Jomolhari Mountain Festival, held in the scenic Jumolhari region, raises awareness about the endangered snow leopard while promoting local culture and eco-tourism. However, ensuring the festival’s continuity requires stable funding.
The Thimphu Dzongda highlighted that the endowment would reduce reliance on annual sponsorships. This would allow the festival to continue thriving and inspire more people to protect the elusive snow leopard.
To convince the potential donors, the festival featured a skit highlighting the constant threat snow leopards face due to human-wildlife conflict.
“Each year, we have to request funding from relevant offices to organise the festival, which is inconvenient and time-consuming. To address this, we have developed a plan to create a seed fund that will support the festival sustainably in the long term,” said Phub Dorji, Thimphu Dzongda.
“Organizing events like this comes with many challenges. First, securing funds is difficult. Second, being in a remote place means we have to transport everything from the lowlands, including furniture and deal with unpredictable weather. Our ten years of experience in organising the festival show that having adequate funds is crucial for the festival’s success. We also struggle to offer better services to visitors. But with a stable budget, we can do better,” said Kencho Dorji, Soe Gup.
“People living in the highland depend on collecting herbs and other shrubs for income, which leads to encroaching on the snow leopard’s habitat. However, events like this festival provide alternative income opportunities, reducing the need to disturb the habitat. In this way, the festival directly supports snow leopard conservation. The fund will benefit both the locals and the endangered animal, offering a sustainable solution for both,” said Tandin Dorji, Ranger, Jigme Dorji National Park, Thimphu.
The Jomolhari Mountain Festival attracts both local and international tourists with a variety of activities, including cultural performances, highland sports, and guided treks. These experiences showcase the beauty of the country’s highlands while educating visitors on conservation efforts.
Namgay Wangchuk
Edited by Sonam Pem
