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The Lithuanian Ambassador to India, Diana Mickevičienė, visited Bhutan from September 28 to October 1, 2024, along with other EU ambassadors. This visit, organized by the EU Delegation in Delhi in collaboration with the Bhutanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was initiated by the invitation of Bhutan’s Prime Minister. The delegation included 18 heads of missions from various EU countries, including Lithuania. The visit coincided with the Bhutan Innovation Forum, where the country’s new vision – the futuristic project of Gelephu Mindfulness City – was presented.

The EU delegation had an exclusive opportunity to meet with Bhutan’s highest officials, including King of Bhutan HM Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Lyonpo D. N. Dhungyel, and other ministers, as well as Parliament leaders Lungten Dorji and Sangay Dorji, alongside representatives from the non-governmental sector. Delegation members discussed bilateral relations and opportunities for strengthening cooperation, with special attention given to Bhutan's achievements in ecology and sustainability – Bhutan is the world's first carbon-negative country. Ambassador Mickevičienė thoroughly presented Lithuania’s contributions to development cooperation with Bhutan and highlighted the work of the Lithuanian company "NRD Cyber Security" in building Bhutan’s national cybersecurity system. She also emphasized Lithuania's achievements in fintech and govtech, positioning Lithuania as a model for Bhutan, particularly for the vision of the Gelephu Mindfulness city. Bhutanese officials showed great interest in Lithuania’s innovations and experience.

The European Union, along with Ambassador Mickevičienė personally, expressed sincere gratitude to Bhutan’s top officials for the country’s principled stance on Ukraine.

In addition, the Ambassador met with PhD student Lobzang Dorji, a recipient of support under the project "Support to Bhutan for Doctoral Studies in Ethnology." He is now in his third year of preparing his PhD dissertation at Vilnius University, and his PhD supervisor, Dr. Donatas Brandišauskas, who was in Bhutan on a research visit, also participated in the meeting.

The EU delegation attended the Bhutan Innovation Forum, where the King presented the ambitious Gelephu Mindfulness City project. This project aims to create the most advanced city in the world in terms of technology and sustainability, combining Bhutanese values, modern technologies, and an exceptional quality of life. The city will become a new economic centre, attracting foreign investors and creating new opportunities for the country's citizens.

The forum, held in a traditional Bhutanese dzong, combined Bhutan’s ancient traditions with modern innovations. The event brought together four Nobel Prize laureates and more than 1,000 participants from around the world. Discussions highlighted Bhutan’s importance to the international community as an innovative and sustainable country.

Bhutan’s commitment to environmentally clean development and long-term cooperation with the EU underscored the country’s distinctiveness and its ambition to become a global leader in sustainability and innovation.