11th World Scout Jamboree

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11th World Scout Jamboree
11th World Scout Jamboree
11th World Scout Jamboree
Location Marathon, Greece
Country Greece
Date 1963
Attendance 10,000 Scouts

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The 11th World Scout Jamboree was held in 1963 and was hosted by Greece at Marathon.

The largest contingent for this event was the British, with almost 1,500 Scouts attending (incorporating the largest UK Scout air-lift ever made).

The camp was divided into 11 sub-camps for the attending Scouts, along with another 5 sub-camps for the administrative and technical personnel, and covered a total area of about 5,000 square metres.

Refreshment stands and expositions dotted the area around the camp, and there was even a 20,000-seat ampitheatre. The focus of the camp was around the Greek Village which offered sights and sounds, food and entertainment, from all around Greece.

There was also an Olympic theme to the event, with triathlons and other sports taking place. A major event for the Jamboree were the Labours of Hercules - a series of tasks designed to test the strength, skill, and stamina of the participating Scouts.

The Chief Scout of Greece, HRH Crown Prince Constantine, attended every one of the 11 days over which the event ran. At a special ceremony, Chief Scout of the Commonwealth Sir Charles Maclean awarded the Crown Prince with the Silver Wolf - the highest award within the Scout Assocation of the United Kingdom.

The event was marred by tragedy when the Philippines' contingent were killed in a plane crash.

Lady Olave Baden-Powell (the wife of Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement) spoke at the closing ceremony:

"I want to coin a new word for you to remember;
the word is "welgo". Go well now on your way, carrying
with you the light of Scouting like the Marathon torch,
and work well, play well, and spread the ideal of Scouting
as far as you possibly can.
We trust you Scouts of the World to help bring about the
reign of peace and goodwill in all the world. Welgo to you all!"

Following the speech, a torch was handed to an American Scout. The torch was to be rekindled at the next World Scout Jamboree, to be hosted in the United States.

See also

World Scout Jamboree

External links