Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Muscat: Oman’s representatives at the 2017 World Scout Moot have returned to the Sultanate with fond memories, and have urged residents in the nation to commit themselves to change their lives for the better.
Fifteen Omanis travelled to Iceland from July 25 to August 5 to fly the nation’s flag at the 15th World Scout Moot, which drew more than 5,000 members from scouts and guides organisations across 106 nations. The largest contingent was from the United Kingdom, which sent 639 representatives, while Australia had another 460. Both Brazil and Switzerland were each represented by 330 participants.
Some of them even stayed behind to help clean up once the moot had officially ended.
“Scouting provides young people with opportunities to participate in programmes, events, activities and projects that contribute to their growth as active citizens,” said Turki Al Maskari, coordinator for Oman Scouts at the 2017 World Scout Moot.
“Through these initiatives, young people become agents of positive change who inspire others to take action.
“Scouts are trying creating a better world for their communities through our programmes, so we invite everyone to join us,” he added. “We are trying to make the world a better place and inspire others to do even more by being a messenger of peace, and take up the challenge to solve global issues at the local level by making your community a better place.”
An example of this was when Scouts and Guides movements around the world rallied behind the Nepal Scouts to support their earthquake relief and recovery efforts in 2015.
The Icelandic moot was designed around the ancient Viking practice of Althingi, where people gathered to debate on topics that would best help society.
“The World Scout Moot will use the opportunity of having people from all around the world to debate on world issues and how they would like to see the world,” said Al Maskari. “If you feel like you want to make an impact and want to help bring about change in this world, then the Youth Forum is something for you.”
“Topics debated at the Youth Forum can include unemployment, education, health, water, energy, environmental sustainability, equality and conflict, or whatever you are interested in and believe is relevant,” he added.
Those who travelled to Iceland for the moot got to experience some of the most stunning landscapes the world has to offer, as they bonded over outdoor activities, such as hiking, mountain climbing, nature studies, yoga in the wild, and even kayaking through Iceland’s fjords.
“I have unforgettable memories which will last forever,” added Mazin Al Kharusi, one of Oman’s representatives at the moot. “This is a dream that came true. The time was well spent with a sense of adventure spreading all around the places and supported by the wonderful spirits of the people of the moot.”
“I had the privilege of speaking to people from more than 100 nations, which makes for huge, unbelievable exposure to different cultures,” he added. “Added to that, friendships that we built with them and the respect we gave and earned will stay with us as long as we are living on this earth.”
“The variety of nature that we explored and people keeping it clean and preserved made me wonder about how much effort had been taken by every single person in Iceland to keep it that way; I feel lucky to have seen it with my own eyes,” said Al Kharusi.
“I appreciate every minute spent with the people I met, who eventually became my friends. Participating in this moot was like writing a story in the pages of my life book. I still have extra pages for the next moot to be held in Ireland in 2021.”
