What is a World Scout Jamboree?

What is a World Scout Jamboree?

• Every four years, tens of thousands of Scouts, from almost every country in the world gather in a tented city for two weeks of activities and adventure! 38,000 Scouts live and learn together.

• The World Scout Jamboree is an amazing first-hand experience of multiculturalism in action, an opportunity to interact and participate with others from different cultures and to build solidarity and understanding across cultural and geographical boundaries.

Why do we have World Scout Jamborees?

• In 1907, inspired by his bookScouting for Boys,Baden-Powellheld his experimental Scout Camp for 22 young people on Brownsea Island and Scouting was born.

• It was the loss of half of the Brownsea Island Scouts during the Great War that inspired Baden-Powell to bring Scouts from across the world together to promote a message of peace, tolerance, mutual understanding and respect, in the framework of activities and fun that underline Scouting.

• This idea became reality in the first World Scout Jamboree in London in 1920. Since then Jamborees have become a four-yearly event attended by an ever increasing number of Scouts from ever increasing number of countries that now includes nearly every country and territory in the World

Where will the Jamboree be held?

• The World Scout Jamboree will be held in Rinkaby near the town of Kristianstad in Southern Sweden.
• The Jamboree is going to be held on a green grassy field, with old stone walls and groves of trees. Not far away are large tracts of unspoiled nature, and the beach is only a few minutes away by bus.

When will the World Scout Jamboree be held?

• The Jamboree itself will run between 27^th July 2011 and 7^th August 2011. However, the UK Jamboree experience will be much bigger than that. It began as soon as a young person was selected. Units of 36 Participants and 4 Leaders are well into their preparations.
• There are 89 Units in the UK Contingent which also contains an additional 800 adult volunteers who will spend their summer holidays working for free on the Jamboree International Service Team.

Chief Scout, Bear Grylls said: "While lots of people know that Scouting is all about adventure, they often don't realise that adult volunteers get to do just as much as our young members through their involvement. The World Scout Jamboree is a great example of this. Over the course of the Jamboree Scouts will be able to meet people from around the world, take part in amazing adventures and experiences and be challenged to think about global issues in a new light. That is why Scouting is one of the greatest youth movement on earth and why I am so proud to be part of it."

"At the Jamboree, Scouts will meet people from around the world, take part in amazing adventures and experience new things with 38,000 other Scouts from around the world. That is a lot of folk who love adventure!"