The Gross National Happiness Centre Bhutan (GNHCB) and Ms. Luciana Leão Raposo DA Silva  formalized a partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing the fifth Gross National Happiness Centre in the world, and the first in Latin America. 

The agreement, was signed on September 5, 2025, and will focus on collaboration in research, academic exchange, training, and community-based initiatives. The new centre aims to adapt Bhutan’s pioneering Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy to the Brazilian context, promoting human wellbeing, cultural diversity, and environmental stewardship as core principles of sustainable development.

The GNH Centre Brasil representative Mrs. Luciana Leão is an executive and changemaker, passionate about reimagining prosperity beyond financial growth. With over a decade of experience at the intersection of corporations and startups, she has helped leaders and communities transform challenges into opportunities. Inspired by her journey in Bhutan, she now brings to the GNH Centre Brasil the vision of building a society that values happiness, inclusion, and harmony with nature as the true measures of progress.

This marks an important step in fostering international dialogue and cooperation on holistic development. The centre will act as a hub for innovation, knowledge sharing, and practical action to address global challenges, including inequality and climate change.

For Bhutan, the MoU represents growing global recognition of its GNH model. For Brazil, it signals a commitment to exploring alternative development paradigms that integrate social inclusion, environmental care, and community wellbeing.

The establishment of the fifth GNH Centre reflects a shared vision between the two countries: that happiness and wellbeing are essential guiding principles for building resilient, inclusive, and compassionate societies.