This week, June 7 to 13, the LVM Tourist and Recreation Centre “Ezernieki”, in Lubāna region's Meirāni, will hold a large international camp for scouts and guides of Baltic countries – 4th Baltic Scout and Guide Jamboree* “Jump”. 650 youth from Baltic and other countries in the camp will get to know and practice elements of sustainable development, will celebrate the 30 year independence of Baltic States and will jump into the next stage of development.
The Baltic Jamboree takes place every four years with an aim to form a new generation of Baltic States, which collaborates and thinks about further development of the region. The idea of such event originates in Latvia in year 2005 and now it can be called a tradition, because event has travelled all Baltic countries and has returned to Latvia.
Camp will gather more than 650 scouts and guides from 9 countries, thus becoming the largest camp of scouts and guides, which has taken place in Latvia in the last 20 years. With the best traditions of the youth movement, children and youth will spend this week in outdoor conditions, in camping ground made on their own, and also they will look after their own household. The aim of working together is to get to know our neighbour nations and pay attention to various issues about nature and society development. As in a classic scouts camp, participants will improve various outdoor life and creative skills, as well as will go on a hike, will get to know different cultures in bonfire evenings. This year's main theme of the camp is the aims of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will thread through all the activities and household of the camp. In 2005 the UN General Assembly resolution adopted 17 goals that have to be reached to decrease poverty, inequality of the world and to make sure that the development of the world would be sustainable. In the camp the attention of scouts and guides will be directed to the four main SDGs themes – responsible economy, diversity of nature, development of society and collaboration.
As the main mission of scouts and guides is “to make this world better”, then these goals are directly connected to the activities of scouts and guides all over the world. Movement exists already for 112 years, to Latvia it came in year 1917. During the years when countries were occupied by Soviet Union, the movement of Latvian scouting and guiding continued in exile, so that after regaining the independence it could return even stronger. Now the Latvian Scout and Guide Central Organization is the only organisation of national level, whose work with youth every week is performed voluntarily, thus investing in the development of the local community, it has more than 850 members.
The leader of Latvian Scout and Guide Central Organization and the idea author of Baltic Jamboree, Agnija Jansone says: “With the help of Baltic Jamboree all three Baltic Scout and Guide organisations are fortifying the collaboration between the youth of our countries. 30 years have passed since the “Via Baltica”, we are ready to move forward in a jump of responsible development. It can be done if new generation of neighbours know each other, trust each other and see a common future. I believe this camp will be a new “jump” of Baltic society!”
The event is planned to be visited by several leading officials of the state. Camp will have a special guest day, in which the everyday life of scouts and guides can be introduced to their friends, families and others who are interested. The guest day will be held on June 12 from 3 PM in the territory of camp.
The event is created with the support of The Latvian National Armed Forces, the State's Youth Policy programme for 2019, the Non-governmental Organisation Fund, the Forest Development Fund, JSC “Latvijas valsts meži”, municipalities of Rīga, Tukums, Kocēni, Valmiera, Ogre, and also in collaboration with several companies, special thanks to Dobeles dzirnavnieks Ltd., Kreiss Ltd., Balticovo Ltd., Rimi Latvia Ltd., Ezerkauliņi farm and the Latvian Egg and Poultry Producers Association.
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Scouting and guiding is a youth non-formal education movement, which adds to school and family. Their aim is to bring up youth to be decent and valuable citizens of their country and world. Scouting and guiding develops confidence, need to understand, discover and will to learn. Now there are approximately 7000 active scouts and guides in Baltic countries. Baltic Scout and Guide Organizations are member organisations of WOSM (World Organization of the Scout Movement) and WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts).
*Jamboree – a large gathering, from African language.
Organisation's social media accounts:
www.facebook.com/skautiungaidas/ , www.twitter.com/skautiungaidas/ , www.instagram/skautiungaidas/
Event's hashtags in social media: #bjam #bejam #bejump #thejump
Information prepared by:
Reinis Frērihs