2010
18th December 2010, Kathmandu -- Nepal Scouts, with the support of the Asia-Pacific Region, starts today its National Strategic Plan Review Workshop to review its work during the last three years and to set its directions for the next three years. The review is now taking place at the National Headquarters, located in Kathmandu and will run until 22nd December.
It is a usual sight in the world of Scouting to see young people exploring, learning about and caring for the environment.
Singapore Scout Association (SSA) celebrates with pride the 100 years of Scouting in Singapore, adding another milestone to World Scouting on 4th December 2010 at the Sarimbun campsite.
As the last CNV mission in 2010, the Regional Scout Committee met with the key leaders of Scouts New Zealand in Wellington from 1-3 December to understand the recent developments in Scouting.
It is Scouts Australia’s turn to meet the Regional Scout Committee for the CNV programme, the 18th NSO to be visited. First Vice Chairman Prakorb Mukura led the team together with Fazlur Rahman and Regional Director Abdullah Rasheed. Scouts Australia was led by National Chief Commissioner Reg Williams together with the core national team of Scouts Australia including Chairman of the National Executive Committee David Jones, Youth Programme Commissioner John Clarke, Adult Development & Training Commissioner Paul Parkinson, International Commissioner Neville Tomkins and National Chief Executive Richard Miller. Regional Office Desk Officer for Australia, Prassanna Shrivastava, assisted the meeting.
As part of the continuing good relations between the Asia-Pacific Region’s of World Association of Girl Guide and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and the Asia Pacific Region of World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), a team of regional committee members of WAGGGS paid a courtesy call on APR Chairman and Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines Jejomar C Binay at his office in Manila on 15th November 2010.
Focus on youth involvement in the Asia-Pacific Region dates back to the 1970s through regional conference resolutions, reinforced with a world conference resolution in 1990. The first ever regional seminar was held in Thailand on 13th-16th November focusing mainly on youth involvement. There were 40 participants from 15 National Scout Organizations.
A large number of parliamentarians from all over the world gathered in Seoul, Korea from 1-4 November for the 6th General Assembly of the World Scout Parliamentary Union (WSPU). At the closing on 4th November, they made conclusive remarks that Scouting offers the best activities for youth and declared to promote scouting in various countries at parliamentary level. The assembly elected the President of the Korea Scout Parliamentary Association and Deputy Speaker of Korea Parliament Hon Chung Eui-Hwa as the new President of WSPU.
Three major natural disasters hit Indonesia in October 2010 claiming hundreds of lives. First, a flash flood in Wasior District, West Papua Province on 5th October 2010. Hundreds of Scouts from the West Papua Provincial Headquarters, in collaboration with the local government, helped the survivors in the area.
Large banners signaled the arrival of 1,200 Rovers to the small city of Maasin in southern Philippines. They came from nearby and distant provinces from all over the country, like Tawi-Tawi province traveling for five days. Their sole destination is the Forest Park for the 7th National Rover Moot of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), a 300 acre forest reserve dedicated by the city government as a campsite for Scouts.
In Leyte province in southern Philippines, a new troop of street children joined the Ticket to Life, making it the 35th troop to be registered under the project, now having 1,200 members in eight countries across the Asia Pacific Region.
Marikina City Council in the Philippines launched a campaign to support children who have been in conflict with the law and are currently under the social welfare department. The project, using the same title as the APR flagship project – Ticket to Life, will provide Scouting programme to these children as a means of giving them hope and confidence for a better life. With an initial enrollment of 30 children, Marikina City Chief of Police Romeo S. Magsalos has volunteered to head the project.
Some 30 key Scout leaders of Sri Lanka Scouts Association representing all Scout districts from all over the country gathered at Lee Dessayanake Scout Camp in Mirigama from 10th to 15th October 2010. The gathering aims to review the Scout association's strategic plan “Towards 2013,” which includes objectives and action steps for 2008 to 2010. The plan was adopted in 2004 focusing on youth programme, adult leadership, finance, management, and public relations.
On a rare occasion, the Ticket to Life (TTL) project team, currently visiting Sri Lanka, met with the Speaker of the Sri Lanka Parliament Hon. Chamal Rajapakshe while the parliament was still in session in the evening of 7th October 2010
Ticket to Life (TTL) Project country coordinators are meeting from 5th to 8th October 2010 in Mirigama, Sri Lanka, to evaluate the progress of members in terms of their advancement in the Scout ranks. Members under the TTL are largely children living in the streets due to poverty, neglect or abandonment.
The Hong Kong Scout Centre becomes the meeting place of 40 participants, comprised of 27 locals and 13 overseas from Scouts of China, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore as they gather to take part in the 15th Course for Assistant Leader Trainers (CALT) from 29th September to 4th October 2010, organized by Scout Association of Hong Kong. The medium of instruction for this course is Mandarin/Cantonese.
29 September 2010 – The sixth series of Regional Communication Forums within world Scouting opens today in Bhutan. Over twenty participants from 13 National Scout Organizations (NSOs) together with 17 local participants inclusive of national headquarter staff and from various district scout associations, are gathering for the forum at a pine-clad resort in Thimpu.
Dhaka, 24th September 2010 – Continuing the series of Committee NSO Visits (CNV) in the Asia-Pacific Region, leaders of Bangladesh Scouts and the Regional Scout Committee kick off today the 3-day meeting in Dhaka. First Vice-Chairman Prakorb Mukura heads the regional team.
In a simple investiture ceremony at the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) national office in Manila on 14th September 2010, Department of Education Secretary Armin Luistro was invested by BSP National President and Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines Hon. Jejomar C. Binay as a mandated member of the National Executive Board, signifying his recommitment to Scouting.
The Singapore Scout Association (SSA) opened the first Scout Discovery Centre in the Asia-Pacific Region on 4th September 2010.
Over 30 Rovers from four countries continue to work with a community in Marikina City, Philippines on and this year project just concluded from 18th to 27th August.
Through its Invitation Programme which promotes international understanding and friendship among the participants, the Scout Association of Japan invited a team of two Scouts and one leader from 13 countries in the Asia-Pacific Region for the 15th Nippon Jamboree held from 2nd to 8th August 2010 at the Asagiri Plateau at the western foot of Mt Fuji.
To address the increasing number of internally displaced persons or IDPs in the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh, Unicef Balochistan in collaboration with local government, and Balochistan Scouts established a temporary learning center to engage school children in educational activities.
All is set for the 45 Vietnamese Scout Leaders as they begin today their Advance Unit Leader Training Course at Mt. Makiling, in Laguna Philippines. The participants all come from over 30 different Scout groups currently running in various parts of Vietnam.
Early part of August this year, 20 Scouts worked closely with Bookbridge in setting up additional three teaching libraries at the rural areas of Mongolia.
In the aftermath of heavy flooding in Pakistan, Rovers and Scout Leaders of the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association are continuing the work to respond to the needs of people living in the affected areas.
17 August 2010, Makati, Philippines – Regional Scout Committee Chairman Jejomar C. Binay meets today with executives of the World Scout Bureau for this year's Asia-Pacific Regional Management Meeting from 17th to 18th August 2010 in Makati City, Philippines. This is also his first official visit to the regional office as the Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines.
In the mid of devastating floods in Pakistan, Rovers including leaders are taking part in the rescue and recovery efforts in the nearest relief camps in the affected areas.
Every year Scouts "get together" and make friends over the airwaves and the internet without the hassle of leaving home through modern communication technology.
Before an excited crowd of 12,000 Scouts from 40 countries around the world, Regional Chairman Jejomar Binay and the Vice Speaker of the Korean Parliament and Acting President of WSPU Hon. Chung Eui-Hwa delivered their congratulatory messages at the opening ceremony of the 27th Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Jamboree. The lively ceremony was held at the lush green pine valley of Suncheon Asia-Pacific Scout Centre in Suncheon City, Korea in the evening of 4th August.
