President kicks off Asia-Pacific Centenary Scout Jamboree

The 29th Asia-Pacific Regional and Sri Lanka’s Centenary Scout Jamboree was declared open by the Chief Scout President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Dambulla yesterday.

 “While announcing that the 29th Asia-Pacific Regional and Sri Lanka’s Centenary Scout Jamboree has been officially declared open, I am pleased to extend my warmest felicitations to all Sri Lankan and foreign scouts and officials participating in this event,” President Rajapaksa said at opening.

The Jamboree with the participation of nearly 750 foreign scouts from 26 countries and 6,000 local participants will continue till 7 April. In 1912, F. G. Stephens launched the Scout movement in Sri Lanka.

The first ever scout contingent was established in Christ Church College in Matale. Since then the scout movement had extended throughout Sri Lanka with a membership of over 46,000 today.