Positive Changes in Countries Part 17 - Generous Governments, Generous Citizens: Czech Republic, Denmark and Djibouti

Our three generous countries: the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Djibouti. Nestled in the very heart of Europe, the Czech Republic, or Czechia, was once an ancient kingdom, with magnificent towers, cathedrals and castles that still adorn the land today. During Her 1999 European Lecture tour, Supreme ‘Master Ching Hai’ was invited to the nation’s beautiful capital city of Prague, where She spoke about the elevating qualities of both the country and its citizens. “I know many Czech people in Germany, in Munich. They're so friendly and so generous. I know one person in particular, he owns a Chinese restaurant - Czechoslovak owns a Chinese restaurant. He loved me so much. Every time after a meal, he always played the guitar and sung all the beautiful traditional Czechoslovak songs for me. He was the owner of the restaurant and he was kind of rich, but he looks very, very humble and his manner is very, very modest.” With a high national standard of living, free health care for her citizens, and generous benefits in areas like unemployment and retirement, Denmark’s economic and social success is like the reality version of a fairy tale. Not only was Denmark ranked Number Two in the 2019 ‘World Happiness Report,’ the nation continues striving in all areas, including its efforts to become one of the most climate-friendly countries on Earth. We rank third in the world for environmental policies as per ‘Sustainable Governance Indicators’ (SGI) international survey of governance. A full 23% of energy consumption is from renewable sources, with increased water conservation and reduced CO2 emissions compared to the mid-1990s. Lastly, but importantly, it is encouraging to see that the vegan movement in Denmark is quickly growing. Although a small and young country in East Africa, Djibouti’s coastal border faces the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s busiest trade routes. This multi-ethnic country is also rich in wildlife, culture, and breathtaking scenery such as her two large saltwater lakes, Lake Assal and Lake Abbe. Djibouti is fortunate to be one of the most politically stable countries in Africa. This small nation has maintained good relations with her surrounding neighbors of Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, through railway trading and sharing services from her seaside ports.