INbox@APR
January 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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Greetings of Peace!
Scouts set up funds to help Tsunami victims
World Scouting joins the international community in reaching out
to the people affected by the tsunami in South Asia, Southeast Asia and some
parts of Africa through a special project called “Tsunami Scout
Aid”. Several member-countries of the region have been hit by the tsunami
particularly in India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand and partly
in Bangladesh and Malaysia. In
response to this catastrophe, the World Scout Committee and the APR Scout
Committee are merging their fundraising efforts – through the World Scout
Bureau – so as to ensure that the flow of support coming in and out of
the Scout Movement is coherent and consistent.
World Scout Bureau has set up web pages
for condolences, donations and news at www.scout.org
where key principles are recommended for raising money, coordinating donations
and relief operations, and other offers of help. For more information, email wsb@apr.scout.org or worldbureau@world.scout.org.
At
local and national level, Scouts have started their relief efforts. The
International Commissioner of the National Scout Organization of Thailand
(NSOT) reports that the NSOT Board Committee, the Organizing Committee of the
25th APR Scout Jamboree and the B-P Fellowship have donated 1.2 million baths
to support Scout activities assisting disaster relief operations. Bangladesh
Scouts have conveyed willingness to assist in relief operations such as
distributing ORT packets. Scouts in Brunei have set up a relief fund for the
victims and collected thousands of clothing and more than $6,000 in cash since
the operation center was set up on New Year’s day. A donation drive
has been launched nationwide in Hong Kong to collect money aiming at 10HK
dollar per member, which will be forwarded to the World Scout Bureau. Taiwan
has launched a similar fund drive. Stories of how Sri Lanka Scout leaders are
responding to the disaster can be viewed at www.scout.org.
Following the initiative from the World Scout Bureau central office, every APR
staff member in Manila donated the equivalent of his/her one-day salary for
this fundraising effort.
Expressions
of condolence and comfort were received from WOSM Chairman Marie-Louise Correa
and Secretary General Dr Eduardo Missoni on behalf of the members of the World
Scout Committee and the World Scout Bureau. They expressed confidence that
Scouts can make a difference by helping those in need and the disaster will
represent a special challenge to Scout volunteers and professionals.
On
behalf of all intended recipients, the APR office appreciates the messages
received from individuals, associations, and sister organizations who wish to
convey their sympathy and words of comfort as a way alleviating all those in
distress and are deeply affected, directly or indirectly, by the immeasurable
loss.
What’s NEW
December
2004
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
• Conference gathers close to 400 Scout
leaders
The 21st Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference held in Brunei
Darussalam has so far been the conference where all 25 member Scout
organizations were represented. Almost 400 delegates, observers, accompanying
persons and staff gathered on 6-11 December 2004 at the International
Convention Center with the special participation of UNESCO, WAGGGS, Rotary,
Duke of Edinburgh International Award Association, ISGF, and AHM Leprosy
Organization. From World Scouting were World Scout Committee members, World
Scout Bureau and regional offices - Africa, Arab and Europe. Countries from
other regions were Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Switzerland (Kandersteg),
Sweden, Tunisia, UK and USA. For the first time, Timor Leste and French
Polynesia were represented at the regional conference.
His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam was the guest of honor,
together with the Crown Prince, Royal family members and government
dignitaries. All participants were received at the Sultan’s palace.
The Deputy Minister of Education expounded on the conference theme
“Bridging the World” citing the factual and realistic situations in
the Asia Pacific where Scouts can play a role in bridging a world that is
widely separated in various forms like poverty, disease, ideologies,
environmental degradation and disasters.
New Committee Members •
Congratulations to the new members of the Regional Scout Committee who
were elected for a six year term from 2004-2010. They are John Ravenhall
(Australia), Yung Chaur-Shin (Scouts of China), Mohammed Ali Khalid (India), Oh
Sang Gyoon (Korea), and Tan Cheng Kiong (Singapore). These five members join
the other five who were elected in 2001 and serving their last three years. The
new committee elected Eric Khoo (Malaysia) as Chairman, and two Vice Chairmen
namely Zainal Abidin of Brunei Darussalam and Ross McKenzie of New Zealand. Edward
Cook of New Zealand joins the Regional Committee as ex-officio representative
of the young adults group. Edward was elected Chairman by the young adults
group which was formed for the first time during the 4th APR Youth Forum held a
week before the conference. The other five young adults are ex-officio members
of each of the sub-committees.
Regional Priorities and Action Plan • The conference adopted by applause the
nine priority areas of the region proposed from the outcome of the 2003 Summit
in Jakarta. Draft action steps for 2004-2007 were enhanced from breakout group
discussions. The 3-year plan will be supported by five sub-committees whose
members were appointed by the Regional Scout Committee. Those appointed were Ms
Mari Nakano of Japan as Chairman of Programme Sub-committee; Mr Peter Blatch of
Australia as Chairman of Adult Resources Sub-committee; Mr Simon Hang Bock Rhee
as Chairman of Management Sub-Committee; Mr Paulus Tjakrawan as Chairman of
Finance Sub-Committee; Dr Mohamed Mukyuddin Sarwani as Chairman of Scouting
Profile Sub-Committee and Mr Ghazanfar Mashkoor as Chairman of 2006/2007 Task
Force. Former Regional Chairman Anthony Thng now chairs the Foundation
Management Committee.
Outstanding Scouts Award • The 2004 Asia-Pacific Outstanding
Scout was awarded to five Scouts during the special recognition ceremony of the
conference. The three winners are Jessica Emily Thomas of Australia, Riaayath
Abdul Majeed of the Maldives, and Glenn Nino Sartillo of the Philippines.
Runners-up are Wong Kai Wong of Hong Kong and Shanmuganathan Pratheesh of Sri
Lanka. All five outstanding Scouts
have been selected based on their major accomplishments in Scouting, community
involvement, leadership and rank, academic performance and awards. Selection is
made every three years from among candidates provided by NSOs in the region and
the award is given during the regional conference.
Formation of Evergreen Scouters and Top Scout Achievers • Two
fellowship groups were formed during the conference. One group is called Asia-Pacific Evergreen Scouters (APES) which elected
Mr Katsura Kuno of Japan as President during the first fellowship meeting.
APES’ primary objective is to strengthen solidarity and friendship
through continued relationship amongst former and present members of the APR
Scout Committee and sub-committees. Thirty-five Scout Leaders have initially
registered. The other group is known as the Association of Top Achiever
Scouts
or ATAS. This group comprises Scouts and Scouters who have achieved the highest
rank in Scouting, i.e. Queen Scout, President Scout, Fuji Scout, Tiger Scout,
Eagle Scout, etc. Mr Simon Rhee of Korea was elected chairman. APES membership
is open to past APR committee/sub-committee members as well as senior office
bearers of NSOs. ATAS is open to
Scouters who have attained the highest Scout rank in their Scout associations.
For more info on membership guidelines, email wsb@apr.scout.org.
PHILIPPINES • National Jamboree
Boy Scouts of the Philippines ended the year with a big bang at
the 13th National Jamboree held in Mt Makiling, Laguna, having 8000 local
participants and contingents from Republic of China and Korea. Having the theme
“Scouting: A Brotherhood for Peace and Unity”, the Jamboree pivoted
on activities that promote a better understanding of how peace and unity could
be attained. Likewise, activities and challenges were educational tools to
increase awareness on balancing development and ecology. The Jamboree
officially opened on 27 December 2004 and ended on 3 January 2005.
What’s ON
January
2005
THAILAND •
Meeting for the 25th Asia Pacific Jamboree
Core organizers of the 25th Asia Pacific Jamboree will meet on 15
January in Thailand to prepare for the Jamboree to be held in Sattahip,
Chonburi Province on 28 December 2005 to 3 January 2006. This is part of a
series of meetings spearheaded by Thailand’s Ministry of Education, the
National Scout Organization of Thailand, and the Asia Pacific Region of WOSM.
INDIA •
Learning Organization Seminar and Strategic Planning
Two back-to-back events are taking place in India this January.
The events start with a seminar on “Learning Organization” on 9-13
January followed by the Strategic Planning Review Workshop on 14-18 January.
The aim of the learning organization seminar is to “bring about greater
awareness on the importance of learning at organizational level, given ever
changing circumstances prevalent in the knowledge based economy and keeping
abreast of contemporary issues affecting the organizational environments, as
viewed from the Scouting perspective.”
REGIONWIDE • APR Scout Photo Competition 2005
After two successive years of the regionwide Scout photo
competition, the APR office extends the deadline for submission of 2005 photo
entries up to 15 February 2005. Scouts and Scout leaders in the region who are
interested to send entries are required to get the endorsement of their
National Scout Organizations. For more information, email wsb@apr.scout.org.
What’s UP
February
2005
SINGAPORE • Scouts to honor
President of Singapore
Asia Pacific Region will honor H.E. Mr Sellapan Rama Nathan,
President of the Republic of Singapore, with the APR Award for Distinguished
Service. The President is also the Chief Scout of Singapore. The award will be
presented on the 1st of February by the APR delegation comprised of former APR
Chairman Anthony Thng, APR Chairman Eric Khoo and Regional Director Abdullah
Rasheed. The President supports various Scouting projects in Singapore such as
the Scout Job Week, presentation of Good Service award, presentation of the
President Scouts Award, President’s Challenge, national camps, fund
raising, and various Scouting events. Personally the President supports the
participation of less privileged Scouts to world Scouting events.
EGYPT • World Seminar on Scouting and Child
Labour
The World Scout Bureau, in cooperation with the Arab Scout Region,
is organizing a World Seminar on Scouting and Child Labour at the Cairo
International Scout Centre on 4-10 February 2005. Participants are leaders in
charge of “child labour” at provincial or national level; members
of regional/national youth programme or teams willing to develop or support
projects concerning “Scouting and Child Labour”. Focus of
discussions will be on protecting and helping children who work in workshops
and small industries; providing children at work with appropriate health care
and educational services; and developing partnerships with UN agencies working
with child labour, e.g. UNESCO, ILO, UNICEF, ACDD.
INDIA • World Seminar on Partnership
As a follow-up of the International Symposium “Scouting,
Youth Without Borders. Solidarity and Partnership” held in Morocco in
1994, a seminar on partnership will be organized this 25th February to 1st
March 2005 in Bangalore, India. The Bharat Scouts & Guides will host the
event in collaboration with the World Scout Bureau/Geneva office. Primarily the
seminar is designed to share experiences, evaluate and follow-up on the
Marrakech Charter of the Morocco symposium. For more information, contact the
project officer at email hany@worldnet.scout.org.
Be Prepared
• Invitation to Assistant Leader
Trainers. Scouts Australia
invites 3-bead holders to the 22nd Course for Leader Trainers to be held at the
Gilwell Park, east of Melbourne, Australia on 24-29 March 2005. For
information, email Peter Blatch at training.com@scouts.com.au.
• Attention to all Scout executives: An advanced Management Course will be
organized in Islamabad, Pakistan on 24-30 April 2005. Contact wsb@apr.scout.org for details.
• A Call to Rovers. An International
Gathering on “Scouting and Sense of Belonging to the Community at Local,
National and International Levels” is offered to Rovers aged 18-22 years
old. The Emirates Scout Association and the Arab Regional Office are hosting
this event for 60 Rovers from different regions of the world on 1-9 April 2005.
For details, contact the Arab Regional Director at fawzi@arab.scout.org.
Timelines
• 15 January
2005. Last day for submission of project
proposal for grant from the APR Scout Foundation
• 31 January
2005. Closing date of applications for the
Course for Leader Trainers in Australia
• 15
February 2005. Deadline for
submission of entries for the APR Scout Photo Competition 2005
Publications/inbox01.2005
05 January 2005