Asia-Pacific Scout Region (World Organization of the Scout Movement)
The Asia-Pacific Scout Region (in Japanese アジア・太平洋地域, in Chinese 亞太區) is the divisional office of the World Scout Bureau of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, headquartered in Makati City, Philippines, with satellite offices in Australia and Japan. The Asia-Pacific Region services Scouting in the land area of Asia south of Siberia and east of Central Asia, and the bulk of the Pacific Basin, with the exception of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau, which are under the Interamerican Region by way of the Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
The Asia-Pacific Scout Region has witnessed the births and rebirths of national Scout organizations ever since the region was founded in 1956. Starting with ten founding members, it grew to 25 member countries by 2003, out of which 23 are full-fledged members and two are associate members, encompassing 17 million Scouts. Eight of the 15 largest Scout associations in the world are in the Region. All the formerly communist states of Central Asia and the Soviet Union have developed or are developing Scouting in the wake of the renaissance in the region. For several years, communism repressed Scouting in Afghanistan, where it has newly returned, as well as in Mongolia, which had been the first Soviet satellite state since 1924.
Widely separated by uneven resources, cultures, ethnic groups and technological resources, Scouting in the Asia-Pacific Region generally enjoys the respect of the public and by governments, a wide array of volunteers encompassing public and private sectors, and is powered by a small but committed group of professionals in the Scouting service.
The current Regional Director of the WSB/APR is Mr. Abdullah Rasheed from the Republic of Maldives.
This region is the counterpart of the Asia Pacific Region of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
Members
Associate Members of the Asia-Pacific Scout Region include The Scout Association of Macau and the Conseil du Scoutisme polynésien.
Potential member countries include
- Afghanistan
- Cambodia
- East Timor
- Nauru
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
The Asia-Pacific Region contains four of the six countries with no Scouting organization, each of which are due to political constraints within the countries.
- People's Republic of China, although Scouting does exist in the enclaves of Hong Kong and Macao (The Scout Association of Hong Kong is a full member of WOSM since 1975)
- North Korea
- Laos
- Myanmar
The Asia-Pacific Silver Jubilee Celebration was held at the regional gathering at the 27th World Conference in Denmark.
APRinbox is the monthly e-newsletter of World Scout Bureau/Asia Pacific Region circulated to Scouts and adult leaders in the global community of the Scout Movement, edited by the Asia Pacific Regional Office in Manila, Philippines.
Asia-Pacific Region Scout Jamborees
The Region has run or sponsored region-wide jamborees in its member countries. Past Jamborees include:
- 1st Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Philippines) - 1973
- 2nd Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Iran) - 1977
- 3rd Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (New Zealand) - 1978
- 4th Asia-Pacific (12th Australian) Jamboree - Perth (Western Australia, Australia) - December 1979-January 1980
- 5th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Bangladesh) - 1981
- 6th Asia-Pacific (Gerakan Pramuka) Jamboree - (Indonesia) - 1981
- 7th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Malaysia) - 1982
- 8th Asia-Pacific Jamboree
- 9th Asia-Pacific (11th Thailand) Jamboree - (Thailand) - November 1985
- 10th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (India) - 1987
- 11th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (New Zealand) - 1990
- 12th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Philippines) - 1991
- 13th Asia-Pacific (16th Australian) Jamboree - Ballarat (Victoria, Australia) - 1992
- 14th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Bangladesh) - 1994
- 15th Asia-Pacific (17th Australian) Jamboree - Perth (Western Australia, Australia) - December 1994-January 1995
- 16th Asia-Pacific (14th New Zealand) Jamboree - Fjordland (New Zealand) - 1996
- 17th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Korea) - 1996
- 18th Asia-Pacific (9th Malaysian) Jamboree - (Malaysia)- 1997
- 19th Asia-Pacific (18th Australian) Jamboree - Springfield, Ipswich (Queensland, Australia) - January 1998
- 20th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Republic of China (Taiwan)) - 1998
- 21st Asia-Pacific (10th Korea) Jamboree - (Korea) - 2000
- 22nd Asia-Pacific (19th Australian) Jamboree - Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) - January 2001
- 23rd Asia-Pacific (13th Nippon) Jamboree - Osaka (Japan) - August 2002
- 24th Asia-Pacific (11th Korea) Jamboree - (Korea) - 2004
- 25th Asia-Pacific Jamboree - (Thailand) - December 2005-January 2006
Asia-Pacific Region Rover Moots
For older Scouts (traditionally called Rovers or Rover Scouts), the Region has sponsored region-wide Rover Moots.
Past Moots include:
- 1st Asia-Pacific (7th Australian) Rover Moot - Yabamac (Vic) - December 1977-January 1978
- 2nd Asia-Pacific (8th Australian) Rover Moot - BP Park, Samford (Qld) - December 1980-January 1981
- 3rd Asia-Pacific Rover Moot - (Republic of China (Taiwan)) - 1982
- 4th Asia-Pacific (9th Australian) Rover Moot - Gowrie Park (Tasmania, Australia) - December 1983-January 1984
- 5th Asia-Pacific Rover Moot - Christchurch (New Zealand) - 1984
- 6th Asia-Pacific (11th Australian) Rover Moot - Camp Cotter, Canberra (Australian Capital Territory, Australia) - December 1989-January 1990
- 7th Asia-Pacific (12th Australian) Rover Moot - Woodman Point, Perth (Western Australia, Australia) - December 1992-January 1993
- 8th Asia-Pacific (13th Australian) Rover Moot - Cataract Scout Park, Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) - December 1995-January 1996
- 9th Asia-Pacific Rover Moot - Bangladesh - 1997
- 10th Asia-Pacific (14th Australian) Rover Moot - Yea (Victoria, Australia) - December 1998-January 1999
- 11th Asia-Pacific (1st Mongolian) Rover Moot - (Mongolia) - 1999
- 12th Asia-Pacific (15th Australian) Rover Moot - Landsborough (Queensland, Australia) - December 2001-January 2002
Youth Forum
Fifty-seven participants from 17 countries attended the Asia-Pacific Region Youth Forum in Brunei Darussalam in December 2004. Six Youth advisors were elected and will attend the Regional Committee meetings. The Youth Advisers are Edward Cook, Chairman (New Zealand), Eko Andrianto (Indonesia), Netsai Khaimarn (Thailand), In Sun Ryu (Korea), Maiya Twayanabasu (Nepal), and Aaron Wardle (Australia). They will advise on helping to organize and manage the next youth forum in Japan in 2007.
See also
- U Ba Htay
- U Tin Tun
External links
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Members of the Asia-Pacific Scout Region
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Full members: Australia | Bangladesh | Bhutan | Brunei | Republic of China (Taiwan) | Fiji | Hong Kong | India | Indonesia | Japan | Kiribati | South Korea | Malaysia | Maldives | Mongolia | Nepal | New Zealand | Pakistan | Papua New Guinea | Philippines | Singapore | Sri Lanka | Thailand |