Access to information and communication was never as dynamic as it is in the age of social media. It is bringing about a monumental change in many spheres of our lives, especially governance. Bhutan is a country that is rooted in culture and tradition. But they have also come to acknowledge the importance of technology, especially social media, as a way forward. Hence, the Bhutanese government is undertaking various initiatives to become efficient in the use of technology. A Social Media workshop for Bhutanese bureacurats in New Delhi from April 26 – 29, 2017 was one such initiative.
The Department of Communications & Media of the Bhutan Ministry of Information and Communication manages and monitors social media activities in the kingdom country. The department has formed a partnership with DEF to conduct a range of social media workshop for various groups of people from Bhutan. The latest in these was a social media training for four officials from the Department of Communications & Media. The workshop was designed for knowledge enhancement and learning new tools in social media for better governance and development.
Facebook is already being used by all ministries in Bhutan. However, they feel the need to integrate other social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and Linkedin, too. Twitter, especially, is proved to be a successful tool of governance around the world; and has become a source of communication between even the heads of States and its people.
The workshop covered the basics of Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and Linkedin; efficient creation of digital content for communication and impact; and awareness about digital rights, security and privacy. During the workshop, the participants were facilitated in signing up for the social media platforms and become comfortable in its use. The learnings were complimented with examples and best practices that made the learning more penetrative. The participants also indulged in practical exercises where they designed and presented a number of social media campaigns.
DEF aims to take the partnership with Bhutanese government forward and work towards building a healthy ecosystem of innovation in Bhutan.