INbox@APR
May 2005
INbox@APR is published monthly by the Asia
Pacific Office of the World Scout Bureau.
To get a copy, send a request to publications@apr.scout.org
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What’s
NEW
APRIL
2005
NEPAL • National Strategic Planning Review Workshop
Thirty-eight
Scout leaders from different districts of Nepal Scouts reviewed their national
strategic plan on
2-5 April. The plan was created in September 2002. After assessing the plan
vis-à-vis their achievements, they concluded and recommended that the
plan needs further enhancement, adding membership growth as a priority
of Nepal Scouts and more focus on effective communication system, development
of database on activities and membership and the appointment of responsible
committees and persons for each priority area. Key commissioners planned and
coordinated the workshop led by Chief Commissioner Shree Ram Lamichhane,
Workshop Director Ravindra Prasad Pandey and APR Director S Prassanna.
SAF Scout Friendship Camp
Nepal
Scouts hosted the 3rd Scout Camp from 21-28 April, the third of a
series of Scout Friendship Camps
jointly organized by WOSM-Asia Pacific Region and South Asia Foundation (SAF). Some 500 young boys and girls from Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka took part in the camp. They
received a warm welcome from Chief of Nepal Scouts and Minister for Education
and Sports Radha Krishna Mainali. Chief Commissioner
Sri Ram Lamichhanne said that the presence of Scouts from SAARC area would help
consolidate friendship and mutual relations amongst these countries.
Participating Scouts went around the villages of Budhanilakantha, Kakani and
Nuwakot and made on-site studies of local specialties and resources, the state
of education and health, and later shared their opinions on community
development.
HRH the Crown Prince distributed appreciation and citation to
organizations that contributed to the success of the camp. On this occasion the Crown Prince
decorated Regional Director Abdullah Rasheed and Bangladesh Scouts Chief
Commissioner Fazlur Rahmann with the Golden Rhino, the supreme medal of Nepal
Scouts.
Camp Youth Forum
Under the theme, "Scouting: Preparing together active and
responsible citizens for South Asia” the camp organized a youth forum
based on the “Scouts of the World” scheme. Organizers prepared
several discoveries and participants learned about Nepal’s rich and
colorful cultural heritage – its unique and fascinating history and the
lifestyle of its people.
Participants particularly appreciated the beautiful and eye-catching
architecture in Bakhtapur and Lalitpur. They also spent a whole day in Kakani
Scout Centre, which is the National Training Center of Nepal Scouts. They did
several activities there, among which is a dialogue with local villagers and
planting trees. After the
educational activities, the youth forum gave them the avenue to discuss their
discoveries and experiences that might affect their outlook or new
perspectives. Syd Castillo of APR
office, together with
Mr Shrinath of APR Programme Sub-Committee, coordinated the SAF
camp programme and the youth forum.
Gathering of SAARC Chief Commissioners
Chief Commissioners or their representatives from Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan convened during
the third Chief Commissioners Gathering on 23rd April in Kathmandu
in conjunction with the SAF Camp. Chief Scout and Minister of Education Radha
Krishna Mainali inaugurated the gathering.
This was a forum to discuss the challenges in each country. Chief Commissioners
reiterated the earlier decision that Sri Lanka will host the SAF Scout Camp in
2006 while it was proposed that 2007 camp be held in Pakistan, and Bangladesh
will host in 2008. Prior to this camp, the first and second camps were held in
Bhutan and in Maldives. It was the first time that Afghanistan attended the
commissioner’s gathering, with Gulahmad Mustafa as representative, who
also led the Afghan contingent for the camp. Nepal Scouts welcomed all SAARC
commissioners to the Kakani Scout project (where skills training is also
offered to non-Scouts) and to the capital, Kathmandu. A grand reception was given to around 200 Scout leaders to
celebrate the event at hotel Radisson in Kathmandu.
MALDIVES • Strategic Planning Workshop
Key leaders of the Scout Association of Maldives discussed,
deliberated and carefully planned the direction of the association aiming at
2015 as their main leverage point during the workshop on 8-12 April. Action
steps focused for the next three years that proposed major changes and
innovations in the areas of youth programme, adult resources, financial and
physical resources, management, public relations, ICT and growth. Participants
discussed the various challenges and opportunities which would lead the
association into increasing the membership to 15,000 in ten year’s time.
The geographic landscape of Maldives, with widely scattered atolls of over 1200
islands, out of which 200 islands are inhabited, is a major challenge in
reaching out to young people outside the country’s capital, Male.
Chief Commissioner Ahmed Ali Maniku leads a young group of
commissioners responsible for main areas in Scouting who have taken active part
in the strategic planning, together with two former Chief Commissioners
Abdullah Rasheed and Ismail Shafeeq. The country’s Minister of Education
Dr Mahumood Shaugee addressed the workshop at the opening. He recently accepted the position as
President of the Scout Council and has committed to support the
association. Regional Director
Abdullah Rasheed graced the workshop, having been the Chief Commissioner of
Maldives for a couple of years.
Workshop Director Arif Rasheed led the workshop with the technical
support of Directors S Prassanna and Luz Taray of APR office. Mr Mohammed Ali Khalid, member of APR
Scout Committee, visited Maldives for the occasion and expressed his remarks at
the workshop opening on behalf of the committee and had a cordial discussion
with the Minister of Education.
PAKISTAN • Asia Pacific Advanced Management Course
After
nearly 6 years, the APR organized the 3rd Advanced Management Course
on 24-30 April at the Scouts Global Village in Islamabad. Chief Commissioner
Zobaida Jalal who is also the Federal Minister of Social Welfare and Special
Education officially opened the course. Among the 32 participants, four were
from India and one was from Bangladesh. Resource speakers are senior Scout
officials of Pakistan namely Dr Allah Wadhayo Baloch, Ghazanfar Mashkoor,
Muhammed Rafiq Aslam, Munir Ahmed, Mian Naeem Zahur, Muhammad Shuaib, Abdul
Mannan. Two speakers were from India, Mohammad Ali Khalid and HP Chhetri and
from Bangladesh, Abul Hassain Sikder. Showing the importance of the regional
event, the Regional Director expressed his full support. Thian Hiong Boon and
Myrna Calderan from APR office delivered some sessions, besides overseeing the
course administration. Mr Mohd Ali Khalid, member of the Regional Committee and
advisor to the Management Sub-Committee, made a special visit to Pakistan to
join the course and delivered sessions on marketing and communications. He also expressed his remarks on behalf
of the Committee during the closing.
On this
occasion, RD Abdullah Rasheed was honored and bestowed the highest PBSA Award,
“Silver Camel” from the Chief Commissioner on behalf of the Chief
Scout, who is the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Scouts
Global Village
The Scouts
village located at the heart of Islamabad was inaugurated coinciding with the
course opening. The village,
constructed with the support of Pakistan government, has three block buildings
including a conference hall, dinning hall, kitchen & pantry, and
accommodation quarters. It is built within the 35-acres land of the NHQ. The financial grant from APR of US$2000
is utilized to operate under the title “Scout Centre for Skills Learning
& Adventure” scheduled to start in May 2005.
Pakistan
Scouts contribute to Tsunami aid
Chief Commissioner
Zobaida Jalal, during the meeting with the Regional Director, confirmed that
PBSA collected US$1500 from Scouts and Scout leaders from all over the country
for the Tsunami Scout Aid Fund and this amount was handed over to the Regional
Director during the closing ceremony of the management course. Pakistan is the
first developing country to contribute to the fund.
New
Scout Group Invested
Returning
from Islamabad, Mr Khalid and the Regional Director stopped over in Karachi for
the inauguration of a new Scout group at the PIA Cricket Academy, which has a
membership of over 2000 young cricket enthusiasts. This was the first time that Scouting was introduced to the
academy. The Regional Director
addressed the gathering of the newly recruited Scouts and their parents.
International Commissioner Ghazanfar Mashkoor and key officials of PIA Scouts
also spoke on the occasion.
Parents expressed their full support to the introduction of Scouting and
to the academy which was created three years ago.
PHILIPPINES •
Visit of Regional Scout Committee
Regional
Chairman Eric Khoo, Vice-Chairman Zainal Abedin, and member Tan Cheng Kiong
visited Manila for a meeting with Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) key
officials. Former World Scout
Committee Chairman Frankie Roman welcomed the Committee together with BSP
Treasurer Enrique Lagdameo and Secretary General JR Pangilinan.
AUSTRALIA • 2nd
APR Air-Internet Jamboree
APR office released the
circular on the above event to take place on 6-7 August 2005 with Scouts
Australia as host. The
Air-Internet Jamboree is a regional event in which Scouts can contact each
other by amateur radio and the internet.
It's the excitement of having a live conversation with a fellow Scout at
some other place in the world that attracts so many to this event. The Air-Internet Jamboree is a real
Jamboree during which Scouting experiences are exchanged and ideas are
shared. It’s a unique opportunity
for Scouts in all age ranges to discover that they belong to a worldwide
movement. Scouts may participate for all, or any part of, the 48 hours of the
weekend 6 – 7 August 2005 from 00:01 am Saturday morning until 23:59 pm
Sunday night.
Latest information is available at www.scouts.com.au. To find the Air-Internet Jamboree
website go to www.scouts.com.au and click on ‘I want to
find out about Scouts Australia’. This will
take you to the ‘Discover Scouting!’ page where you will see the
Air-Internet logo and shortcut to the Air-Internet pages.
REGION •
Celebrating 50 years of Scouting in the region
A
15-point programme of activities and projects is outlined in a regional
circular released in April. The activities were presented at the Brunei conference as proposed by
the APR 2006/2007 Task Force. Projects and events are to be initiated as early
as possible with the active participation of all National Scout Organizations,
the APR office and concerned sub-committees. The circular can be accessed at
www.apr.scout.or.jp.
SOLOMON ISLANDS • Gone Home – Henry R Koga, MBE
A senior Scout brother and friend, Henry Koga, passed away on 30th
April. He was a long serving Chief
Commissioner in Solomon Islands, a vice chairman and President of the National
Scout Council. His funeral service was held on the 1st of May with
Scouts paying him their last tribute.
What’s
ON
MAY
2005
REGION • Staff Management Conference
This first week of May, executives of APR office are reviewing
last year’s performance and confirm the upcoming events for
2005-2006. The conference is
taking place at the APR office in Manila with the participation of Regional
Chairman Eric Khoo and Deputy Secretary General Luc Panissod.
REGION • Meeting with WAGGGS
After the conference, a meeting with WAGGGS counterparts in Asia
Pacific will take place at the APR office where both parties will discuss
possible areas of collaboration. This is the first time that both Chairmen of
WAGGGS and WOSM at regional level are meeting formally.
WOSM • Board of Directors Meeting and Consultation Meeting on
Membership Growth
At the world level, WOSM Secretary General will lead
the Board of Directors comprised of Deputy Secretary Generals and Regional
Directors for a meeting in Geneva on 9-13 May.
Preceding the Board of Directors meeting will be a consultation
meeting on membership growth on 9-10 May in Geneva. All six regions will be
represented to this consultation.
Invitees from the Asia Pacific Region are representatives from
Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.
WOSM • Ad Hoc Meeting on Communications
World Scout Bureau central office is convening WOSM executives
particularly those responsible for communications, selected NSO representatives
and consultants for an ad hoc meeting on corporate branding and
communications. The meeting is
taking place on 13-15 May in Geneva.
What’s UP
JUNE
2005
THAILAND • Jamboree Preparatory Meeting
In preparation for the 25th Asia Pacific Jamboree on 28
December 2005 – 3 January 2006 in Sattahip, Thailand,
a meeting of the Jamboree Organizing Committee and the
APR Team will take place on 3rd June in Bangkok. Before this
meeting, the Jamboree Programme Committee will convene on 2nd June.
SRI LANKA • Review of National Strategic Plan
On 3-6 June, Sri Lanka Scouts Association will take its turn to
review its long-term strategic plan created more than a year ago. APR office will fully support the
review exercises.
JULY
2005
THAILAND • Meeting of Contingent Heads
The National Scout Organization of Thailand (NSOT) will offer
hospitality (accommodation and meals) to two delegates from each country who
are attending the contingent heads meeting on 29-31 July. Around this time, NSOT will host a
series of APR Committee and Sub-Committee meetings:
• Meeting of APR Program Sub- Committee on 28 July
• Meeting of
APR Management Sub-Committee /APR Financial Resources Sub-Committee/
Scouting’s Profile Sub-Committee on 29 July
• Meeting of
Foundation Management Committee is in the afternoon of 29 July
• Meeting of
APR Scout Committee on 30-31 July
• Meeting of
APR Task Force 2006-2007 on 01 August
Timelines
31 May 2005. Deadline for sending
reply slip for the 13th International Rover Moot in Korea on 11-16
July 2005.
21 June 2005. Deadline for sending reply slip for the 8th
Youth Gathering for Cultural Exchange at the Cairo International Scout Centre
in Egypt on 21-31 August 2005.
Publications/inbox05.2005
02 May 2005