A poster of the 25th World Scout Jamboree provided by the Organizing Committee for the 25th World Scout Jamboree.
BUAN, Aug. 1 (Korea Bizwire) – The World Scout Jamboree, the largest international Scout event, kicked off in Saemangeum, a reclaimed land area on the southwestern South Korean coast, on Tuesday, bringing together over 43,000 young Scouts from 158 countries.
The 25th edition of the world jamboree will continue through Aug. 12 in the Saemangeum Reclaimed Area, about 180 km southwest of Seoul, providing an opportunity for young Scouts from around the world to learn about different cultures and build friendships through outdoor camping and cultural activities.
A total of 43,281 Scouts, including 39,385 from abroad, will take part in the World Scout Jamboree, which is held every four years and dubbed the “cultural Olympics for youth.”
This is the second World Scout Jamboree hosted by South Korea after the first one in Goseong, Gangwon Province, in 1991. South Korea has become the sixth country to host the jamboree more than once.
The jamboree campground in the Saemangeum area is 8.84 square km in size, and Scout members are divided into 17 sub camps that can accommodate about 2,000 people and five hub camps designed for about 10,000 people, the organizing committee said.
The organizers will offer a total of 174 on-site and off-site programs in 57 categories to the young Scouts under the theme “Draw Your Dream.”
A photo of the campground of the 25th World Scout Jamboree provided by the Buan County Office.
The programs include survival programs, such as lighting fires and building rafts; hands-on experiences of future technologies; and discovery of Korean culture through K-pop and Korean food, like kimchi and bibimbap, they noted.
In addition, contingents from around the world will operate food houses to introduce their own traditional foods and provide opportunities for young people to experience the global food culture at affordable rates, they added.
Following the opening ceremony Wednesday, performances by an orchestra consisting of Scouts and a survival expert, as well as a drone light show, will take place. On Sunday, the “K-Pop Super Live” concert will be held in the Saemangeum area.
The closing ceremony is slated for Aug. 11.
(Yonhap)
