India’s 17th National Jamboree echoes unity
Starting the year 2017, the 17th National Jamboree echoed the value of unity for a promising future, using the theme “Together for Better Tomorrow”. The national Jamboree was held on 29 December 2016 - 4 January 2017 at Mysuru, Karnataka State, with around 25,000 participants, Guides and leaders of The Bharat Scouts & Guides (BS&G) and over 1,000 overseas participants and guests joined the adventure.
Known for being vast in many ways, this India Jamboree gathered around 25,000 people comprised of Scouts, Guides and leaders of the Bharat Scouts & Guides (BS&G) including over 1,000 overseas participants and guests who signed up for the adventure.
At the opening ceremony, flags of the 17th National Jamboree and the BS&G were raised at the arena signaling the official start of the Jamboree. Honourable President of India Sri Pranab Mukherjee graced the ceremony, joined by Governor of Karnataka state Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala and Chief Minister of Karnataka state Siddaramaiah. In his message sent out to BS&G, World Scout Bureau Asia-Pacific Regional Director J. Rizal C. Pangilinan expressed his hope that young people will be inspired more to live out the values of Scouting.
During the Jamboree, one of the busiest area was the World Scout Village which showcased the WOSM flagship programs: Messengers of Peace (MoP), Scouts of the World Award (SWA), and the World Scout Environment Program (WSEP). The village was divided into three major areas. The concept was delivered through the following activities: Sharing the Idea – Ally le Song; What Does Peace Mean to You – Drawing; Patrol System – Networking Game; What is MoP – Life Vest & Platform; Introduction to scout.org; MoP Beat – We are Scouts; Solar Cooking – Solar Cookers; Solar Games – Car, Cockroach, Grasshopper Race; Solar Art – Painting & Sun burning; Solar Gadget - DIY Solar Kits and SWA Tent -- which the participants find them all interesting.
Scouts and Guides with their unit leaders enjoyed the completing the activities and learning more about solar energy through Scouts Go Solar initiative. Others were were excited knowing more about SWA and MoP Initiatives. Atmosphere in the village was jovial as Scouts were in high spirits in completing every task.
With the visits made by some government leaders in the Jamboree site, leaders from NSO hoped that this can create positive results at local level. Moreover, volunteers were happy welcoming non-Scouts who visited and saw it as an opening to introduce Scouting to them. During the first day alone, more than 800 Scouts registered, and the number went up from 4,000 to 6,000 Scouts and visitors daily on the succeeding days. It took a lot of combined efforts of 100 volunteers who were helping each other running the village. Thanks to the dedication of these volunteers composed of Rovers, unit leaders and professionals who took turn supporting the activities, with assistance from Asia-Pacific MoP Coordinator and Director, Development Support & Finance S. Prassanna Shrivastava, country coordinator Ms Lerchanta Ally Seeluangsawat from Thailand, Erwin Samuel Ramli from Indonesia, BS&G MoP coordinator Krishnaswamy Rammorothy, Madhusudan Avala and Pankaj Gupta.
Highlight of the closing ceremony was the awarding of the MoP Award presented by Saudi Arabian Boy Scouts Association International Commissioner Dr. Hamad Abdulrahman H. Alyahya, with S. Prassanna Shrivastava as WOSM representative to BS&G which was received by BS&G Chief National Commissioner Shri. B.I. Nagarale. The award was first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific given to an NSO. Ministers who graced the closing ceremony were Power Minister D K Shivakumar and Minister for Education in Rajasthan Prof. Vasudeva Devanani and several other dignitaries.
-- Photo credit: Bharat Scouts & Guides India
