inbox@apr August 2004
inbox@apr is published monthly by the Asia Pacific Region of the World Scout
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AFGHANISTAN •
A new chapter in Afghan Scouting
The long planned Basic
Unit Leaders Training course for leaders in Afghanistan finally took place from
21 to 27 July at a high school in Kabul. This could well be said as a new
chapter for Afghan Scouting, having 46 participants (9 females) attending the
training. The Minister of Education, Dr Anayatullah Aman, himself a strong
supporter of Scouting, declared the course open. UNICEF in Kabul was actively
involved, where they talked about involving Scouts in health and sanitation
campaigns. Leaders from neighboring countries – Pakistan, Bangladesh,
India, and from the APR office Mr. Thian and Mr. Prassanna led the training team.
All expenses for the
training course and the two back-to-back workshops for ten working days
altogether were jointly funded by UNICEF Kabul office together with Canadian
Scouts and APR office. Under a project agreement with the Afghan Scouts, the
very first batch of Afghan membership badges were produced by APR and a total
of 4000 were delivered to the Afghan Scouts.
At the traditional
campfire, one participant reminisced with tears the last campfire he attended
30 years ago. Another one said, “I am very happy to have the campfire, it
is great.” Although the
Scouting spirit is high, the introduction of new theories and skills are found
to be totally new. The reason, of
course, is their long isolation from the social mainstreams, including the more
innovative culture of Scouting.
Certainly it requires additional resources – human, finance,
structure – to put Scouting back into an authentic operational
organization.
After the training
course, an initial move was made to draft the Scout constitution for Afghan
Scouts in a three day workshop, a process that demands a thorough knowledge of
today’s Scouting, as commonly practiced internationally. Back to back is
another workshop that discussed in detail the various aspects of scout
programme and advancement scheme.
GENEVA • Meeting with Afghan Leaders
On the 3rd of July in
Geneva, former Afghan Scouts based in Germany led by Dr. Habib and World Scout
Bureau executives met to discuss their working relationship while supporting
Scouting in Afghanistan. Afghan Scouts living abroad are welcome to join
APR-led WOSM missions to Afghanistan. Luc Panissod and RD Abdullah Rasheed
along with Dr. Effendy took part on behalf
of the Bureau.
MALAYSIA • Call on new Chief Commissioner
At a meeting between Chairman
Anthony Thng and Regional Director Abdullah Rasheed with the new Chief
Commissioner of Malaysia, Dr. Kamarrudin Kachar, together with Committee member
Eric Khoo and Secretary General Dr. Abdul Rahman, mutual interests were
expressed on development issues for Scouting in Malaysia. During the discussion, emphasis was
placed on reviewing its strategic plan, and adding more professional or
full-time staff to work with volunteers.
For his role in fostering the
Singapore-Malaysian Scouting exchange, Anthony Thng was recognized with
Malaysia’s highest Scout award – Semangat Rimba.
A separate meeting was made with a
Scout parliamentarian who is the parliament secretary, Hon. Ng Lip Yong. It was
a mutual consensus that country chapters of WSPU (World Scout Parliamentary
Union) be strengthened and a regional link of national chapters is clearly
established.
MANILA • Staff Management
Conference
Executives of the APR office in Manila, together with WOSM Deputy
Secretary General Luc Panissod and Regional Chairman Anthony Thng, held their
annual review of regional operations on 13-14 July in Manila. The region
conducted numerous Asia-Pacific events in the past year covering all strategic
priorities. Promising practices as
well as critical issues were pointed out, and the extent of support of APR
office to NSOs and committees was reviewed.
•
Farewell Reception
Having served the World Scout Bureau for over 20 years, Golam
Sattar is finally moving to his home country – Bangladesh – with
his family by the end of July.
Chairman Anthony Thng, former World Scout Committee Chairman Frankie
Roman and leaders of Boy Scouts of the Philippines together with the staff of
APR came over to say their well-wishes to Golam at the farewell reception
organized by the Regional Office to honour him for his long service to Scouting
and to the region.
MONGOLIA • Partnership with other organizations
The Regional Director’s visit to Mongolia this August is his
very “first” in the country as well as his “last” in
his chain of visits to 25 countries of Asia-Pacific since he assumed office.
With each visit, he found it imperative to have a closer look at the realities,
challenges and the unique situations that each NSO has to face.
Within ten years of Scouting in Mongolia, the most remarkable
achievements are partnerships made with other organizations within and outside
Mongolia. Mr. Rasheed during his visit met a number of local partners in
Scouting particularly with UNICEF and UNDP Representatives. During his visit he
was able to witness the third round of GDV caravan with French Scouts which is
already listed as one of the best practices, which involved more than 1000
children during its 2 week travel within the countryside in creating more
awareness to the community on good food habits, rights of the child,
environment, etc.
In a meeting with government and UN agencies, there is special
appreciation for the work of the Scouts, and a willingness to collaborate
further. It is also interesting to see a large number of young adults taking up
Commissioners posts, many of them are female. The International Commissioner,
Scout Section Commissioner, Cub Section Commissioner, Rover Section
Commissioner and one Deputy Chief Commissioner are female which is an indicator
of equal opportunities given to both women and men.
During the visit, most national council members attended the multi
purpose workshop that introduced WOSM and APR strategies and had wide ranging
discussions and sharing on Scouting experiences.
• New Chief Commissioner
Having held the office of Chief Commissioner for ten years, Mr
Esunmunkh turned over the position to the deputy, Mr Baavgai, also a co-founder
of the Scout association as the new Chief Commissioner of the Scouts of
Mongolia.
Mr Esunmunkh now holds the position of Honorary President. Many
young Commissioners are appointed, in an association where more than 80% of the
adult leaders are below 26 years of age.
Together with this change, new outlooks for the association are
taking place. A new Scout logo is on trial together with the name of the
association as Scouts of Mongolia before these are finally adopted by November
this year.
REPUBLIC OF CHINA • 12th World Scout Moot
On 30 July, the World Scout Moot in Taiwan officially
opened. A total of 92 countries
are participating, the largest so far in World Moot’s history since 1931.
President Chen Shui-bian of Republic of China greeted the Scouts with an
inspiring and challenging message.
Five expedition centers feature Taiwan’s important landmarks of culture,
traditions, arts, environment, technology, industry, and aborigines. All participants will then join Dong
Hwa Village in Hualien for collective activities on-site and at the Global
Development Village.
Being an event held in the region, the opening ceremony
was represented by Chairman Anthony Thng and two vice-chairmen Kirsty Brown and
John Hui, together with members Jejomar Binay, Zainal Abidin, Eric Khoo; PR
Chairman Katsura Kuno; World Scout Committee (WSC) Vice-chairman Habibul Alam;
WSC members Toby Suzuki and Herman Hui, and former WSC Chairman Frankie Roman.
Key leaders from NSOs were also present, namely Chief Commissioner Soma
Weerakoon of Sri Lanka, International Commissioner Kuniichi Komachi of Japan
and International Commissioner Sutham Phanthusak of Thailand; and Regional
Director Abdullah Rasheed. APR
office supports the Moot with Syd Castillo supporting the expeditions and Luz
Taray at the Moot newspaper.
What’s ON
AUGUST 2004
KOREA • 24th Asia Pacific Jamboree
While the World Scout Moot is still taking place in Taiwan until
10th August, the 24th Asia-Pacific Jamboree is happening
on 5-11 in Mt Sorak, Korea. A good number of contingents are expected from
Asia-Pacific and from other parts of the world.
JAPAN • Annual Invitational
Programme
Since
1974, the Scout Association of
Japan (SAJ) has been inviting Scouts and leaders to Japan. Over the past 28 years, a total of
1,161 Scouts and leaders from all member-countries in APR have participated in
the annual programme. This year, SAJ invited 50
Scouts and 25 leaders from 25 countries in Asia-Pacific. Within the programme
is integrated the national Venture, the International Youth Forum, and SAJ
– BSA (Boy Scouts of America) Friendship Programme.
MALAYSIA • Learning Organization Seminar
As
a follow up from the last regional seminar in April in Hong Kong on Learning
Organization (LO), Malaysia would be the first NSO to host an LO seminar at
national level from 21-24, in Kuala Lumpur. India is also planning to hold its
LO seminar in the second week of January 2005.
MANILA • Visit of new WOSM Secretary General
In
his attempt to visit all the Regional Offices, Secretary General Eduardo
Missoni is visiting Manila from 11-14 August during which time he will receive
a briefing on regional operations and meet all the staff individually. He will
also visit Boy Scouts of the Philippines national headquarters to meet the
senior members.
SEPTEMBER 2004
MACAU • National Strategic Planning Workshop
The Scout
Association of Macau proposes a national workshop on strategic planning for its
commissioners on 25-29 September 2004.
APR office will co-organize the workshop.
MANILA • Staff development workshop
As part of the
ongoing staff development programme, APR office will run its annual two- day
residential workshop where all staff will undertake a common theme and undergo
a series of discussions. This will be the third in a series of staff
development. During the month of
July, the staff had just completed the annual outing as well, with their
families.
Mark these deadlines on your
calendar:
• 15 August
2004
- submission of
reply slip for participation in the 2nd APR Unit Leaders Roundtable
• 30 August
2004
- submission of
reservation form for NSO display panels at the 21st APR Scout
Conference
• 30 September
2004
- submission of
entry form for the APR Scout Golf Tournament
• 31 October
2004
- submission of
reply to the invitation for hosting the 26th APR Scout Jamboree
LT/WSB-APR
02/08/04