Bhutan is a country which was never colonized. Having always been politically independent, a rich and distinctive culture developed in the country over the ages. Perhaps the most important single factor in the molding of Bhutanese character and thought has been the teaching of Lord Buddha, whose eternal truths were first brought into the country from Tibet by the great Indian saint, lotus born master, Guru Padsambhava.
In the Buddhist perspective, culture, tradition and beliefs and the environment are dynamic phenomena interwoven tightly in the web of life.
Bhutan’s unique cultural and traditional values, highly valued in themselves by all the population, are the essential embodiments of the nation identity. For a small country located between two most populated countries of the world, India and China, the preservation and promotion of its distinct cultural identity is seen as an important means for its survival as an independent and sovereign nation. This identity has protected and sustained Bhutan and also provided the foundation for its major policies.