DAWA ZANGMO | Paro
Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) should go beyond physical infrastructure and economic development to focus on human happiness, mental well-being and the quality of life of future generations, international actor and philanthropist Jet Li said during the Asia Visionary Summit 2026 in Paro on 6 November.
During a conversation with his daughter, Jada Li, a director of Coming Together Foundation, Jet Li shared the reasons behind his decision to volunteer for the mission of GMC, saying that he wanted to contribute to something that would benefit society rather than serve his personal interests.
He said he was attracted to GMC because of its vision of bringing economic development together with happiness and human well-being. For him, the project represents an opportunity to create a place where people can live meaningful lives while contributing positively to society.
“I thought it was a big vision. I wanted to do something not for myself, but for society,” he said.
Jet Li said his interest in supporting GMC reflected a new phase of his life, in which he wanted to shift his attention from personal achievements towards making a contribution to the wider community.
He said even small individual contributions could bring about significant changes when people worked together towards a common purpose.
“When you bring together even two small contributions, they can make a big difference. This is the second chapter of my life,” he said.
His daughter, Jada Li, said GMC could provide an opportunity for people to look beyond business and financial success and consider what brings meaning and happiness to their lives. She said maintaining a balance between development and personal values would be important as the world continues to change.
Jet Li first visited Bhutan in 2017 for a seven-day retreat. He said his latest visit had given him a different experience, particularly through learning about the vision and development plans of GMC.
Describing the visit as a new journey, he said it had allowed him to explore and understand different aspects of Bhutan’s vision for the future.
He said there were millions of people across the world who wanted to lead more mindful lives, which could create an opportunity for Bhutan to attract individuals who shared similar values and aspirations.
According to him, GMC should bring together people who believe in positive energy and are interested in working and living alongside others with similar principles.
He said some entrepreneurs and business founders might even consider establishing their companies in Bhutan instead of places such as Silicon Valley if they could find an environment where mindful business practices were understood and valued.
However, Jet Li stressed that maintaining the city’s culture and values would be essential as GMC develops. He cautioned that individuals with negative attitudes could affect the working environment, particularly if they recruited others with similar mindsets.
He said the city would need to be careful about the people it brings together to ensure that its culture remains aligned with its original vision.
Jada Li said GMC’s vision could offer lessons for other parts of the world, even though the project was still developing. She said having a clear vision and a set of guiding principles from the beginning would help ensure that the city remained committed to its purpose as it expanded.
She cautioned that development should not become an objective in itself, adding that growth without a clear direction could create uncertainty about the future.
According to her, GMC’s guiding principles would be important in ensuring that economic and physical development did not undermine the values on which the city was founded.
Speaking about mindfulness, Jada said the concept was sometimes interpreted in the Western world mainly as being present in the moment, relaxing and finding peace.
However, she explained that the original term, sati, carried a deeper meaning associated with memory and remembrance. She said mindfulness also involved remembering one’s ethics, morals and the values that matter in life.
She expressed hope that these principles would remain central to GMC’s development, ensuring that mindfulness was understood beyond simply being relaxed or comfortable in the present moment.
She said preserving the city’s traditions, principles and commitment to happiness would be important in maintaining its identity as it grows.
The conversation between Jet Li, Jada Li and Curtis S. Chin was among the sessions featured on the opening day of the inaugural Asia Visionary Summit, held at Dungkar Dzong in Paro.
The three-day summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, is being held under the theme “Enlightened Prosperity”. It brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and thinkers from Bhutan, across Asia and other parts of the world.
The opening day’s discussions covered a range of issues, including long-term investment, human flourishing, education in the age of artificial intelligence, mindfulness, technology and innovation, with a focus on the future of human-centred development.
The summit also featured discussions on the relationship between technology, creativity and human potential, alongside conversations on personal growth and inner freedom.
Jet Li’s remarks highlighted his willingness to contribute to GMC, which he views as an initiative that should place human happiness and societal well-being alongside economic opportunities and development.
