Bhutanese Community of Arizona

About Us

Where We Came From

Bhutanese refugees are descendants of Nepalese, who preserved their Nepali language, culture and religion, as they immigrated to southern Bhutan in the 1800’s. Bhutan is a land-locked country where 20% of the population is displaced or lives-in refugee camps. Bhutan’s government was concerned with the growing population of Lhotshampas. The population increase was seen as a threat to political peace, so the Bhutanese refugees or Lhotshampas(“southerners'') were placed in refugee camps in eastern Nepal in the 1990’s. Today many refugees live in Australia, Europe, and North America

Our Mission

The Bhutanese community stands as a self-confident and strong organization. We contribute to society in every way, whether it be economically, culturally, or socially. Our main vision is to develop unity and harmony for the benefit of humanity and contribute to our nation as responsible citizens. The Bhutanese organization is a non-profit social and cultural organization to preserve, practice, and promote values for the benefit of the nation that sheltered them out of gratitude and our duty to the land. Another mission is to maintain a cultural identity while still being a part of the larger American community.