APRinbox DECEMBER 2006 Monthly publication of World Scout Bureau/ Asia Pacific Regional office Manila, Philippines publications@worldnet.scout.org
What’s New November	Regional Scout Committee take major decisions The Regional Scout Committee, at its meeting in Hong Kong on 2-3 November, accepted the offer of Nepal Scouts to host the 6^th Asia Pacific Scout Leaders Summit in March 2008. The summit is a strategic planning exercise of top volunteer and full-time people of National Scout Organizations in the region, now scheduled as a preparatory meeting before every World Scout Conference. The committee reviewed the progress of the e-game project. It is expected that the e-game is available to young people by 2007. Meeting for the first time in Hong Kong is the e-game task force chaired by Oh Sang Gyoon with Tan Cheng Kiong, John Hui, Paulus Tjakrawan and Mari Nakano as members. The revised Youth Forum guideline was approved and will be applicable for the 2007 APR Youth Forum in Japan. Part of the guideline is to support young adult members in attending meetings and events related to their responsibilities. Ms Kirsty Brown of Australia was appointed chairman of the APR Awards Committee whose task is to make appropriate nominations for the various regional awards for endorsement to the Regional Scout Committee. Other members are Ross McKenzie, Zainal Abidin, Kim Kyu Young, Regional Director Abdullah Rasheed as ex-officio and S Prassanna as secretary. They met in Hong Kong after the re-organization of the committee. Chairman Eric Khoo chaired the meeting with presence of all members and majority of sub-committee chairmen.
	Rover Leaders gather at first regional woodbadge training course Sixteen countries – Australia, Bangladesh, RO China, Denmark, Hong Kong, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines Singapore, Sri Lanka – were represented at the Advanced Unit Leader Training Course for the Rover Section held in Taiwan on 10-16 November. All participants acquired the basic eligibility for the course and are active Rover leaders in their associations. In the training team were John Parr, David Cossart and Peter Hann – all from Australia, Fazlur Rahman from Bangladesh, Tore Sejr Jorgensen from Denmark, Toby Suzuki from Japan, John de Guzman from the Philippines and Thian Hiong Boon from APR office. The warm Chinese hospitality was a typical feature throughout the event. This is the third of a series of events to promote and strengthen Rovering after the Rover workshop in the Philippines in 2003 and the International Programme Development Workshop for the Rover Section in Maldives early this year.
	Macau hosts Regional Communications Forum, the biggest gathering in 3 years Macau was the “first stop” of all Regional Communication Forums happening all across the regions stating this November until February 2007. With 19 National Scout Organizations represented by 34 Scout leaders, the Scout Association of Macau (SAM) efficiently hosted the first largest regional gathering since 2003. SAM Chief Commissioner Leong Sui Pui and International Commissioner Francisca Vong and their dynamic team handled their first international event in a hospitable fashion at their conducive SAM office at Fortaleza de Taipa. The forum was designed for PR Commissioners, media managers, and young spokespeople. Around 30% comprised the young spokespeople. The forum consisted of two parts. On the strategy part, the World Scout brand and communications strategy were introduced. The training part engaged the media managers and spokespeople in exercises relevant to working with the media. The last day drew from each NSO a media and communications timeline for 2007 that would to integrate strategy elements into the NSO’s centenary activities. One of the recommendations given for NSOs was to develop their own brand communication program focusing on relevant elements of the world communications strategy. The training team comprised of WSB Director of Media and Communications Richard Amalvy as Forum Director together with Simon Carter, Neil Commons and Martyn Milner of The Scout Association/UK. Giving support to the Forum were Regional Chairman Eric Khoo, Scouting Profile Chairman Dr Mukhyuddin, Richard Miller and Prakorb Mukura. Regional Director Abdullah Rasheed and Luz Taray of WSB-APR office did the overall coordination.
	Advance Unit Leader Training in Maldives With a goal to promote quality Scout training among Scout Leaders in Maldives, the Asia-Pacific office supported the Scout Association of Maldives in conducting the Advance Unit Leader Training Course (AULTC) held at the Kuda Bandos from 20-26 November 2006. The success of the course is credited to the participants and the training team who offered their technical know-how in Scouting skills. Training team consists of Mr Thian Hiong-Boon of the APR Office and Mr Samir Baswari of Singapore.
	Rover Peace Baton goes to… Route one of the baton relay reached Papua New Guinea on November 6. It started at the very heart of Port Moresby, then to several provinces before it went to Wukung, the border between PNG and Indonesia on December 1. After a 17-day peace tour in Indonesia, the baton will go to Singapore on December 17. After a wide peace baton journey in India, the Bharat Scouts and Guides handed over the baton to Bhutan on 15 November. In Bhutan, hundreds of Scouts and Leaders in the districts of Thimpu, Punakha and Wangdue participated. The President of Bhutan Scout Association and Minister of Education, the outgoing Chief Commissioner Mr. Kinley Dorji and incoming Chief Commissioner Dasho Sonam Tobgay joined other key officials in Thimphu to receive the baton. The message of peace was strongly highlighted in key districts of Bhutan. Bhutan Scouts brought back the baton to India where the Scouts and Guides Handed over to Bangladesh on November 24. Bangladesh will handover the baton to Thailand on December 24. In Korea, the relay was passed on to 17 provinces. The Hon. Yoo Jay Kun, President of Korea Scout Parliamentary Association; Hon. Kim Chong Hoh, Foundation and President Emeritus of World Scout Parliamentary Union and Mr Lee Won Hee, President of Korea Scout Association joined the successful relay, together with hundreds of Rovers and Scout leaders. After the relay in Korea, it was handed over to Taiwan on November 10 during the opening of the Rover Advanced Training Course. The baton will pass through Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Hualien and Taipei. Each station has its own theme towards peace, such as Bridging Digital Divide for Taichung, Information care of Aboriginal Kids for Tainan, Ocean cleaning and Environmental issues for Kaohsiung and Water conservation for Taipei. After Taiwan, the baton will go to Macau on December 23.
	New WSB Executive Director appointed Ms Anne Whiteford was recently named as Executive Director of the Education, Research and Development Department of the World Scout Bureau Central office in Geneva. Anne joined the WSB in March 2001. Before that, she was Programme and Development Manager with the Scouts Association (UK) and Senior Medical Scientific Officer for six years. Anne holds a M.Sc. in Global Development Management and a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences.
	New Scout Leaders in Pakistan and Thailand Pakistan Boy Scouts Association (PBSA) announced its new office bearers after the meeting of the National Council on 12 November in Islamabad. Among the key officers are: Chief Commissioner: Lt Gen (Retd) Javed Ashraf, Federal Minister for Education International Commissioner: Mr Ejaz Chaudhary Acting Secretary: Prof. M.A. Wahid The National Scout Organization of Thailand appointed a new team for its National Scout Executive Board (NSEB): Chairman of NSEB: Mr Wichit Srisa-An, Minister of Education Secretary General of NSOT: Mr Boonrat Wongyai Deputy Secretary General: Mr Supakorn Wongprach
	IUMS Jamboree postponed The IUMS Jamboree in Bangladesh originally scheduled this early December has been re-set for the second week of March 2007. Bangladesh is also organizing an events management workshop on 5-9 April 2007. More info will be circulated for both events.
What’s ON-GOING December	Course for Leader Trainers in Sri Lanka The training course, with 35 participants, having one participant from Hong Kong and two from Pakistan, was held from 2 to 8 December 2006, at the CIDA Centre in Hatton. This is the third Leader Training course in the 94 years of Scouting in Sri Lanka, and the first after a lapse of eight years. President of SLSA Mr Nawaz Gaffoor, Chairman of Executive Committee Walter da Silva and Chief Commissioner H.S. Weerakon graced the opening. The Regional Director congratulated the leaders for the growing development in Sri Lanka in recent years. The training was led by Course Director Shantha Madurawe, National Training Commissioner of Sri Lanka Scouts Association (SLSA), supported by Dr. Effendy Bin Rajab of the Singapore and Mr Thian Hong-Boon of APR office.
	Ticket for Life Workshop in Manila As a project dedicated to street children, the seminar on Ticket for Life is now taking place at the national office of Boy Scouts of the Philippines in Manila. Scout leaders from six selected countries – Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka are gathering on 4-6 December in a workshop called Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances (CEDC). The workshop is a learning opportunity for Scout leaders to be change agents and to contribute in improving the situation of children. Among the resource persons are Anne Whiteford of WSB Central Office, Peter Blatch of Australia who is the Chairman of APR Adult Resources Sub-Committee and Peter Mwema, Director of Community Development of Kenya Scouts.
	Malaysia National Jamboree Persekutuan Pramuka Malaysia will warmly welcome overseas contingents at the 11^th Malaysian National Jamboree on 12-19 December 2006 at the Ulu Bendol Recreational Forest, Negeri Sembila State, Malaysia. The national Jamboree is an eight-day event filled with fun and exciting activities such as arch-building competition, climbing Mt. Angsi, river trekking, abseiling and rafting. Negeri Sembilan is located on the southwest corner of Peninsular Malaysia and about 64 kilometers south of the Kuala Lumpur.
	95^th Anniversary of Scouting in Hong Kong The Scout Association of Hong Kong invites Scouts from many countries to celebrate the 95^th anniversary of Scouting in Hong Kong and the centenary of World Scouting. The Jamboree will be held from 27 December 2006 to 1 January 2007 at the West Kowloon Cultural District site which is at the southern tip of the West Kowloon Reclamation, about 26 minutes away Hong Kong International Airport.
What’s UP-COMING January February	2007 will start with Jamboree events • National Jamboree in India on 2-7 January 2007 • National Jamboree in Bhutan on 1-8 February 2007 • SAF Scout Camp in Pakistan on 21-27 February 2007
Be Prepared	Adventure in “Trekkers Paradise” The 9^th International Adventure Programme will be held at National Adventure Institute, Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, India on 16-25 February 2007. This institute is located at the National Training Centre of Bharat Scouts and Guides in Pachmarhi, a place known as “Trekkers Paradise”.

5 December 2006/LLT