SINGAPORE - More than 2,500 scouts from 18 different countries gathered at the Sarimbun Scout Camp in Lim Chu Kang on Wednesday morning to mark Singapore's 50th birthday at a celebration organised by the Singapore Scout Association (SSA).
The scouts, who hail from places like Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh and the Maldives, will be here till Sunday (Nov 22) for the SG50 International Jamboree.
Over the next few days, they will take part in cultural exchange activities, leading community service work to promote social graciousness and environmental sustainability, and outdoor adventure programmes. This is the third time that the SSA has hosted such a large-scale international gathering.
"I really enjoy events like this as we get to meet and interact with scouts from other countries," said Miss Sylfa Alfa Rahmatia, 20, a teacher who is here with a group of 45 students from Indonesia. With close to 600 scouts in attendance, Indonesia is the country with the largest foreign contingent here.
"We are happy that our friends from overseas have come to join us at this upsized SG50 jamboree," said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who was guest-of-honour at the opening ceremony. "This is a meaningful contribution from the scouts as Singapore marks the 50th anniversary of our independence this year."
