Monday Oct 07, 2024
Monday Oct 07, 2024
Saturday, 2 August 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The ceremonial opening of the Colombo Centenary International Scout Jamboree (CCISJ) will be on 2 August at 4:30 p.m. The International Day will begin on 4 August from 5 p.m. and the closing ceremony is on 6 August at 6:30 p.m. The Chief Guests and Guests of Honour at these ceremonies will be the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa who is also the Chief Scout and the President of the DSR of Sri Lanka, Minister of Education Bandula Gunewardana, Chief Minister of the North Western Province, Dayasiri Jayasekera, Chairman of Tharunyata Hetak, Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa and many other dignitaries.
Among the distinguished guests will be the 1st Vice President of the Asia Pacific Regional Scout Committee of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement, Shree Ram Lamchanee, Consultant to the World Scout Bureau, Abdullah Rasheed and Consultant to the APR Scout Committee, M.A. Khalid.
The jamboree has been organised with the support of the Chief Minister and the local bodies of the North Western Province, said Head of Jamboree Executive team, Janaprith Fernando.
“We have been able to prepare all necessary infrastructure facilities at the beautiful Ygro Madampe Campsite in Dummalasuriya. The camp sites for units have been allocated and the Sri Lanka Army and Navy personnel are working round the clock to provide all the facilities.
The Scouts and Guides are also arranging their tents and belongings and the Jamboree fever is now catching on throughout the sight. The organisers are meeting daily, visiting the site and making preparations to welcome our brothers and sisters from overseas, arranging their home stay and tours prior to the Jamboree,” Fernando said.
The contingent from France arrived on 14 June. They are in the rural village of Ambagamuwa living in the homes of the villages and doing community service and development work. They also travelled to Nuwara Eliya and were involved in work in the Gamini Dissanayake Foundation for four days. They will visit Kandy for a day pay their respects at the Sri Dalada Maligawa and then join the Jamboree on 31 July.
“For those who are arriving from Australia to Nepal we have made arrangements to offer Home Hospitality under the Hoho program which is unique to scouts. Generally Hoho is the organisers of any International Jamboree offer three days of home hospitality in the host country either before or after the Jamboree at no cost to the participant. Apart from this the contingents have arranged tours to places of interest in Sri Lanka at their own cost, Fernando said.
Like in all jamborees, we have the International Service Team or the IST. The unique thing about scouting and Jamborees is that Senior Scouts and Leaders pay and go and serve as staff at these jamborees. In this CCISJ also we are following the same and we have around 200 IST s from Sri Lanka and 60 from overseas. The members of IST will be doing staff duty at all jamboree activities and events including the security of the Jamboree. IST member Capt (Rtd) Kithsiri Jayatilake is in charge of security. All registered participants are issued with the Jamboree ID Card, wrist band and scarf for easy identification and the Jamborites will not be allowed to go out of the Jamboree site except on excursions which are part of the program.
The jamboree has its own Jamboree Security post with Jamboree Police consisting IST members and in addition the Sri Lanka Police also has a Police Post just outside the Jamboree site and they too will be providing officers and foot patrols. The Jamboree will have its own Super Market run by Cargills, the mobile bank of NDB Bank as all campers will be issued with free NDB Visa Debit cards, Post office, cafeteria and many other stalls to cater to the needs of the Scouts and guides and they will have no need to leave the jamboree grounds, Fernando said.
“We expect to have good sunny weather with fairly strong winds on some occasions as we have experienced in the past few weeks. We do not expect rain but the saying goes that ‘any fool can camp in good weather and only a good scout or guide can camp in any weather’. All our campers are insured with the courtesy of Allianz Insurance Company and also in the unlikely event of any bad weather we have made arrangements to evacuate and move the campers to two nearby schools. In addition to all this we have a fully equipped Jamboree Hospital with Doctors, Nurses and support staff run throughout the day and night and stand by Ambulances and Fire Engines as well.”
“I am very confident that all 3,600 or more participants will have a memorable fun filled, educative and a life changing experience during this Jamboree. We have worked for almost two years to ensure the girls and the boys will be the most benefited from this Jamboree. We have divided the activities into 11 modules and the jamborites who are able to complete seven out of the 11 will be eligible to win the Centenary Award.
The activities and the program include outdoor obstacle courses, challenges, water activities, archery, visits to places of interest, messenger of Peace, Global Development village, Dettol Hygiene Heroes, lateral thinking, wide game and the usual Jamboree Camp Fires, traditional Sri Lankan games, cultural shows and beat and talent shows every evening in the main arena, International Day and Night. All in all the organisers have done their best and will do the best to ensure that all jamborites will be in a safe environment and enjoy all activities and make new friends at this CCISJ or the Jamboree.”
