Messengers of Peace
ASIA-PACIFIC
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
Issue No. 14 APRIL - JUNE 2016
Messengers of Peace quarterly newsletter is an initiative of the Asia-Pacific Support Centre of the World Scout Bureau highlighting the projects of National Scout Organizations under MoP Initiative.
what’s inside
3rd MOP GATHERING: NEW INITIATIVES AND LEARNING
2
SCOUTING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
3
INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY -21st SEPTEMBER 2016
7
SCOUT CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY WITH COMMUNITY IN NEED
8
3rd MoP Gathering: New initiatives and learning This time The Bharat Scouts & Guides, in collaboration with the World Scout Bureau, hosted the 3rd APR Messengers of Peace Coordinators Gathering on 20-24 April 2016.
Most
National
Scout
Organizations
in
the
Asia
Pacific
Region were represented at the gathering, 24 participants in all, with local Scout leaders and four international resource persons.
Since the last gathering happened two years ago in Indonesia, new initiatives were introduced that necessitate updates and a fresh approach to promote and run MoP projects.
Brainstorming exercises and practicum were used to extract diverse ideas and experiences, resulting in an action plan for 2016 onwards.
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MONGOLIA
Scouting for young people with Special Needs
Awareness is key and knowledge is essential in handling children with special needs especially so in the action-packed events of Scouting. Scout Association of Mongolia engaged 24 volunteers and staff for a workshop designed to handle young people with special needs. The training camp took place in Batsumber, Tuv, Mongolia from 25-29
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June 2016. For four days, participants learned about disabilities of children with special needs such as autism and blindness, among others. They learned the nature of each disability, its history and causes, and the best way to handle them with simulation activities. With the presence of doctors and therapists onsite,
hands-on activities included reading Braille, assisting a blindfolded person identify objects, appropriate reaction to a person who has seizure, how to perform CPR, among others. Peter Blatch of Australia, World Scout Committee member and Syd Castillo of the APR Support Centre, assisted the training camp. “The workshop was a great learning experience for all involved. It was valuable to share differ-
ent ways to involve people with special needs into Scouting. The energies and experiences shared at the workshop will assist making Scouting available to all young people in Mongolia. The creativity and commitment of the leaders in attendance will make Scouting even stronger,� said Blatch. Heading back to their communities and Scout troops, participants are expected to spread their newly acquired awareness and knowledge in safely engaging young people with special needs into Scouting.
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THAILAND
Thai Scouts to plant 100,000 fruit trees in two years
Thai Scouts Promotion Foundation is supporting the Fruit Tree Reforestation Project with 225 volunteers.
•
Cooperate
with
the
Paramotor
Scouts
Team
to
bring
the
seeds and saplings to scatter at the targeted location.
This project addresses the main environmental problem
–
fires
and
deforestation
–
that
are
rapidly
destroying forests in Thailand. This Scout group raised the idea of planting fruit trees with the following activities:
•
Request
from
the
Department
of
Royal
Rainmaking
the free usage of airplanes and helicopters to scatter the seeds
by
air,
followed
by
artificial
rain,
if
necessary.
•
Cooperate
with
the
Department
of
Forestry
and
Department
of
National
Parks
Wildlife
and
Plants
to
locate suitable environments to grow certain types of trees. •
Raise
at
least
100,000
Baht
for
the
purpose
of
buying seeds and saplings, logistics and transportation, and other costs.
•
Conduct
research
on
a
suitable
process,
tree
species, and proper preservation of the seeds to reduce damage from worms, insects, squirrels, etc. Participating organizations and institutions in this project
are
Minburi
Technical
College,
Donmuang
Technical College, Samutsongkhram Technical College,
Jiantongpittayakom
School,
Chaiyaphum,
Office
of
Non
Formal
Education
at
Tak,
Samut
Songkhram,
Prachinburi, Kaengkrachan Scout Camp, Petchburi and Paramotor Scout Club, Minburi.
•
Collect
fruit
seeds
and
saplings,
either
by
donation
or purchase at cheap price. (Papaya seeds, for example, are donated by Thai Airways, Indian gooseberries from
the
Department
of
Forestry,
Mimosa
seeds
from
Chulalongkorn University)
Expected
outcome
is
an
increased
number
of
at
least
100,000 fruit trees for consumption of humans and animals, such as tamarind, longan, lychee, jackfruit, cassia, etc.
•
Cooperate
with
the
Department
of
Non-Formal
Education to prepare the ground operation.
Duration
of
the
project
is
two
years
from
May
2016
to
May 2018.
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INDIA: Youth
development and leadership camp
The Bharat Scouts & Guides Railway State organized the regional youth development and leadership camp for Scouts & Guides, Rovers and Rangers on 7-11 March 2016 with 134 participants. Sessions offered at the camp were introduction of Messengers of Peace and youth forum on social issues such as Free Being Me and Stop Violence.
NEPAL: Massive
campaign drive for MoP Like a marathon, Scouts in Nepal are hitting the road from district to district to promote the Messengers of Peace. So far they have covered the districts of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Nuwakot, and Gorkha. Not far from the horizon are the districts
of
Sindhupalchok,
Dhading
and
Makwanpoor districts.
INDONESIA: Scout
Journey for Peace
Using the train at this symbolic journey, the Scout Journey for Peace is a project of Gerakan Pramuka to promote peace to passengers at train stations and inside the train. Initiated in 2014, this project has gained the support of several organizations including Fajar
Cirebon
Daily
News
and
PT.
Kereta Api Indonesia.
of peace from train to train through social and humanitarian services. Activities in the train include: - MoP promotion - Read peace - Letter peace - Gift peace - Hug peace - I am Scout. How about you? - Peace starts with me - Helping parents and children - Visiting historical places
A Scout leader named Kak Zeze came up with this idea after completing the MoP Gathering in Jakarta two years ago. The idea is to spread the message
This project is also supported by Messengers of Peace Indonesia, West Java State Headquarters and Gerakan Pramuka National Headquarters.
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GLOBAL
International Peace Day – 21st September 2016
International
P eace
D ay
i n
2 016
has the theme “Building blocks for Peace”. All National Scout Organizations are encouraged to celebrate peace through active community involvement.
of service hours contributed by young people in one day to the scout.org. All Scouts are encouraged to participate in a community development project that supports the ideology of peace.
Why is it important for Scouts to be involved in International Peace Day?
These projects will vary per country, but we will all be contributing to the same goal, of creating a better world.
Scouting as an organization is all about enabling young people to create positive change in their communities based on shared values. Through International Peace Day,
w e
c an
m otivate
y oung
people, Scouts and non Scouts to become global active citizens. Our Vision for International Peace Day 2016: To produce the largest amount
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Some ideas for your NSO’s celebration of International Peace Day: Peace Run – A charity event for peace awareness, dialogue and social entrepreneurship. Invite Scouts and non Scouts to attend, and ensure you get community support.
Trees for Peace – Scouts are encouraged to plant trees to support the sustainable development goals, and encourage young people to be aware of conservation efforts. Youth Speech for Peace – Organize the local community to come together and listen to young people within the community who have organized messenger of peace projects, to share, inspire, and engage the community in contributing to peace culture. Peace Pledge
–
Encourage
Scouts
to
take
selfies
holding
a
sign
that
says “Peace Starts with Me” and post it onto Scout.org with their peace message. On this day, encourage Scouts to go to www. scout.org and see peace actions happening around the globe.
Other things to note: •
Gather a team together to help coordinate activities in your country so that all Scouts from across the country can participate in locally organized peace events. •
Organize a media event or invite the media to cover your International Peace Day
event.
•
Provide them a press kit with relavant information on Scouting and Messengers of Peace.
•
Encourage
creativity
and
get
Scouts to help plan events.
•
Remember to share and record your activity on Scout. org with photos to inspire other young people from across the globe.
If you need any support please don’t hesitate to contact your NSO Coordinator for Messenger of Peace who is aware of International
Peace
Day
and
will
be
able to support your ideas.
INDIA
Scout celebrates birthday with community in need A young Scout, Ashvanee Srivastav, as part of his group’s peace action, celebrated his birthday to teach other children in his community. He said, “On the occasion of my birthday I decided to celebrate with our Peace Action Group (Smile Roti Bank) to serve the children”.
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MOP Regional Team REGIONAL DECISION COMMITTEE Peter Blatch Chay Hong Leng J. Rizal C. Pangilinan
S Prassanna Shrivastava Regional Office Coordinator
REGIONAL SUPPORT TEAM J. Rizal C. Pangilinan Regional Director S Prassanna Shrivastava Director, Development Support & Finance Luz Taray Director, Communications and Strategy Uzair Kamal Development Support Manager Nancy P. Ladores Assistant, Development Support
MoP NATIONAL COORDINATORS Australia: Johnathan Raymond Morey
Malaysia: Amir Hamzah bin Aman
Bangladesh: Mohammad Atiquzzaman
Maldives: Ibrahim Rasheed
Bhutan: Nawang Gyaltshen Brunei Darussalam: Liyana Binti Haji Salleh
Mongolia: Uyanga Erdenebulgan Nepal: Ram Prasad Bhattarai Pakistan: Zahid Mahboob
Cambodia: Chek LIM Scouts of China: Sherman Sheng, Hsiao-Ming Fiji: Kailash Vimal Pillay Hong Kong: Peggy TAM Siu-lan
PNG: Vagi Clergy Waru Vagi Philippines: Carmelo B. Francia Singapore: Tan Sijie Sri Lanka: Jerome De Silva
India: Krishnaswamy R. Indonesia: Venny Indri Christiyanti
Thailand: H.E. Dr. Poldej Worachat Macau: Tang Chon Meng, Jacky
Japan: Reiko Suzuki Korea: Kim Su Yeon
Scout Polynesia: Raiarii Benjamin Tama
Kiribati: Mataiti Bwebwe Log-in
to
scout.org.
Create
your
profile.
Share
your
stories. For any information or for submitting your MOP initiatives,
please
contact
Asia-Pacific
Support
Centre Tel: (+63 2) 818 0984/ 817 1675 Fax: (+63 2) 819 0093 Website:
www.scout.org/asia-pacific
Email:
asia-pacific@scout.org Facebook: Scouting
in
Asia-Pacific
Region
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