Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the 2008 ASEAN jamboree in the Cibubur camping grounds, East Jakarta, Sunday.
Before 1,500 participants from nine ASEAN member countries, President Yudhoyono pressed the siren button marking the opening of the annual event, and in the presence of welfare coordinating Minister Abdurizal Bakrie and chief of the national scouts headquarters Azrul Anwar.
As many as 1.500 participants aged 13-16 years (1,200 indonesian scouts and the 300 from the eight ASEAN countries) participated in the 2008 ASEAN scout jamboree held from October 18 to 26, 2008, with the theme "Upholding Brotherhood and Cultural Understanding" and motto "One Spirit, One Agreement, One Community, ASEAN".
Before the president opened the event, each of the delegations introduced their groups in accompaniment of their own special music.
The participants also sang the 2008 ASEAN scouts Jamboree song "Wake up".
The participating countries are Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam (Myanmar is absent in this event).
The Jamboree program is divided into nine modules "Scouting Skills, Adventure Land, ASEAN Cultural Village, ASEAN Development Village, ASEAN Solidarity, ASEAN Development Boulevard, ASEAN Sportacular, Educational Tour and ASEAN Spectacular".
Most of the activities would be carried out in the Cibubur camping grounds and its suroundings, however, the scouts also have the chance to know about Jakarta and Indonesia in sightseeing trips to some Jakarta`s historical sites and the Indonesian Indonesia in Miniature Park(TMII).
To promote global warming awareness, the jamboree`s village is called Green Camp.
Source: http://www.antaranews.com (October 20, 2008)