LONDON, 4 August 2007 — Saudi scouts presented folk dances and songs representing seven regions of the Kingdom at the Scout Jamboree near Chelmsford, in Britain’s southeastern county of Essex, on Thursday. They also distributed popular Saudi and Arab dishes, dates and Arabic coffee to visitors to the Saudi pavilions and programs organized by the Saudi Boys Scouts Association (SBSA).
On Wednesday, more than 28 million scouts around the world started celebrations marking the founding of their movement 100 years ago by British army officer Robert Baden-Powell.
Global ceremonies centered on a tiny island off the southern English coast, where Baden-Powell held the first camp of his Scout Movement on Aug. 1, 1907. Since then it has grown into an international movement whose members have included US President George W. Bush, Britain’s Tony Blair and former French president Jacques Chirac.
The centenary celebrations came as scouts from 155 countries gathered in Britain for the 21st World Scout Jamboree, which got off to a royal start on Saturday with Britain’s Prince William in attendance.
One hundred and fifty Saudi scouts are participating in the event that will run until Aug. 8. They are participating in seven workshops representing the heritage and traditions of the Kingdom’s seven regions. They will also visit universities and colleges in Scotland, London and Wales, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Minister of Education Abdullah Al-Obaid, who is also the president of SBSA, was present at the functions.
Al-Obaid received King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, honorary president of the World Scout Foundation and president of the World Scout Fund, at the Arab Tent Headquarters. During the reception, the minister briefed the king of Sweden on the cultural message of the SBSA.
The king and the minister toured the Saudi pavilions at the Jamboree. The king commended the association’s role in disseminating the message of peace and exchanging cultures through its activities. President of International Union of Muslim Scouts Abdullah Omar Naseef also attended the reception.
Earlier on Sunday, Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland Prince Muhammad bin Nawaf and Al-Obaid inaugurated the Saudi pavilion and workshops. The pavilion contains the Arab Tent, which is showcasing the history and culture of the Khaleej (the Arabian Peninsula).
Prince Muhammad also visited the exhibition held on the association’s activities. Prince Muhammad and Al-Obaid held a meeting with the chairman of World Scouts and exchanged talks on scout activities. Saudi Arabia also announced a financial donation (the amount not specified) to the International Scouts Fund to support “the Peace Gift Program.”
The Kingdom last year hosted a successful international scouts event in Jubail called “Together for Peace,” which was attended by scouts from 85 countries.
