With the help from Operation One World, a Solidarity project, 350 scouts got the opportunity to come to the 22nd World Scout Jamboree. The Jamboree Magazine Hej Jam! met one of them to have a chat.
Everyone who is able to go to a World Scout Jamboree should appreciate opportunity. This adventure that we’re all a part of is a once-in-a-lifetime-experience, and will probably be remembered for a lot of years to come. But what if you weren’t able to go? It is a well known fact that a Jamboree costs quite a lot of money, and it is certainly not everyone who has the means to be here.
That is why Operation One World was created. In order to be able to include as many participants as possible, the solidarity project worked on gathering money to pay fees for Scouts that did not have enough money to go. Not only the costs for being at the Jamboree, but also travel expenses, stays before and after, visas and equipment were to be covered. To contribute, for example, you were able to buy a t-shirt where a part of the cost went to Operation One World. Also bigger donations, for example from the Jamboree Head Sponsor Intersport, were collected, and after all of the efforts the fund made it possible for a total of 250 scouts to come to Sweden.
Hej Jam! was fortunate enough to be able to go and visit some of the One World participants together with ISTs working with the project. Geeske, who did not work with Operation One World before, took me to a group from Niger that lives at the very end of Summer. Her job is checking up on the participants so that they feel good and adapt well. There, I met Agaichata. She is 17 years old and has been in Sweden for 6 days. The Jamboree is really something that she has been enjoying! ”I would like to come back!” she tells me and smiles. Agaichata believes that an experience like this has the possibility to change her life. When she gets home, she can pass on all of the new knowledge she learnt here, and share some of the Jamboree experience with her friends!
And maybe that is the most important thing to do?
Sharing what you’ve got no matter how much it is, helping people coming to the Jamboree or just telling them about your experience, is Solidarity. Helping those who didn’t have the same possibilities as you. That is what Operation One World is all about.
Text: Linnea Wedelin
Photo: Björn Wiklander
operation one world provide apportunity to needy & deserving scouts to meet whole world at one place
congratulations WOSM SWEDISH SCOUTS & GUIDES & DONOURS.
NIZAR ALI J.BASARIA
PAKISTAN
It is time to say “goodbye”. It is time to say “see you next time”, but perhaps nobody wants to.
They ate, shared, talked, swapped, smiled, played, made jokes, met new friends, worked, and an endless etc. Thanks Sweden for this unforgettable Jamboree.
Many people, and I am included, followed this huge event by internet. I watched T.V., magazine, news,
photos, latest comments, all about programme when I had time, above all at nights.
Other Scouts that must be congratulated are the I.S.T.
people, I think they deserved it.
I believe some of them will see one another in Japan to celebrate a beautiful JAMBOREE. TÌO VIC
My son is in Summer Town and I hope he got to meet some of the people that his fund raising helped to be there. Regardless it is wonderful to hear from them and to know that they are there not only learning for themselves but also enriching the lives of ‘more fortunate’ teenagers from the developed world.
That is so nice to read about. It makes everything so worth while. Well done everyone.