President Tsai attends 11th National Scout Jamboree
On the afternoon of July 1, 2018, President Tsai Ing-wen attended the opening of the 11th National Scout Jamboree. She welcomed scouts and distinguished guests from 17 countries to the festivities, and encouraged the participating scouts to be brave when faced with new people and new experiences. She also expressed hope that the participants will learn teamwork and help each other, and make friends from other countries.
In her remarks, President Tsai said Taiwan's scout association has been waiting for seven years to hold a national jamboree again, and that she was delighted to take part in the opening ceremony. She noted that scouts and guests from 17 countries were on hand, and as the President of Taiwan and President of Taiwan's General Association of Scouts, offered a warm welcome to all the scouts from around the world.
President Tsai noted that since the jamboree theme was "Scouting to Success," it was fitting to hold the event at "成功嶺", which means "Success Ridge" in English. For Taiwanese this is a very special place, she said, where generations of college students have a collective memory of the military training they received there. That added a special meaning as the participants gathered on "Success Ridge" for scout training, international exchanges, and friendship, the president said.
The president also pointed out that this was a jamboree of many firsts. It was the first to be held in a military camp, and the first to integrate technology into the curriculum. There were also innovative activities on cultural diversity and caring for all life. She then said she was sure the jamboree would be a rewarding experience for everyone.
President Tsai remarked that scouting activities are important for youth development and education, and that the jamboree was about to begin. So she shared three ideas that she wanted the participating scouts to remember:
First, she urged them to be brave when faced with new people and new experiences. For some of the participants, this was their first time abroad, and the first time to live in a camp. She encouraged them to embrace the challenge, and have the courage to try new things, and gain new experiences when faced with new and different situations for the first time.
Second, she hoped they would learn teamwork, and to help each other. In camp, everyone has a different role to play, she said, and different responsibilities. So she encouraged them to do their duty, cooperate with each other, and learn not only how to take care of themselves, but also how to take care of others.
Third, she urged everyone to make friends from other countries. Scouting builds bridges between nations, she said, expressing hope that they would make the most of this opportunity to get to know people from different countries. She also encouraged the scouts from Taiwan to show our foreign friends why our country is such a special place.
President Tsai pointed out that this jamboree was one of the biggest scouting events Taiwan has ever seen, and then acknowledged Taiwan's own scout association for their hard work to make the event possible. She thanked the Ministry of Education, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior, and local governments and scouts all over the country, especially the local Taichung City Government, which contributed a tremendous amount of time and energy. She also thanked the many unsung heroes who have contributed in many ways, for many years, to the continuous growth of scouting in Taiwan.
Finally, President Tsai noted that, "Heroes come from far and wide, and gather on Success Ridge to pursue high ideals." Likewise, she said, scouts had gathered there to pursue high ideals. She expressed hope that in a few days, everyone would go home with memories of the jamboree and Success Ridge that will last a lifetime.