DUBAI, 6th November, 2023 (WAM) -- Under the patronage of the H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, the Emirates Scout Association (ESA) will organise the 33rd Arab Scout Camp from December 15 to 25, 2023, in the Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve under the theme "Scouting: A Sustainable Approach", with the participation of more than 1,500 scouts representing 19 Arab countries.
The camp is the largest youth scouting event at the Arab level and has been held for more than 69 years. The UAE's hosting of the event for the first time in the history of Arab scouting camps is a testament to the association's commitment to the camp's slogan of promoting sustainability in the protected area.
Dr. Salem Abdulrahman Al Darmaki, Board Chairman of the ESA, stressed that protecting and caring for natural reserves is a significant activity that the scouting movement is concerned with through scouting programmes as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, which are given special attention by the UAE government.
He pointed to the prominent role of the ESA in the Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve through the Al Marmoom Scouts' Project, which aims to develop the capabilities and skills of young generations physically and culturally, awaken the spirit of authenticity and connection to the land, and communicate positively with the natural environment through a variety of activities that have been designed to promote the concepts of environmental protection and the rich wildlife and desert that characterise the reserve.
This has led to the organisation of four scouting camps that have enjoyed local, Arab and Gulf participation from 2017 to 2022, he added.
Al Darmaki, in his capacity as the head of the Higher Organising Committee for the camp, announced the roadmap for the 33rd Arab Scout Camp, pointing to the start of the preparatory procedures for its establishment with the emphasis that the equipment used in it is sustainable and relies on natural resources while ensuring to prepare Emirati cadres take over the management of the camp.
The camp programme will include a range of activities and planned activities to support sustainability, starting with the Development Village, which will include a set of milestones that focus on achieving comprehensive development for participants, with a focus on future skills, promoting digital transformation, recycling, and achieving sustainability for scouts, whether at the level of preparation and qualification or participating in programmes implemented in cooperation with local and federal entities that enhance the vision of the camp. This is in addition to the Sustainable Development Village, which will bear the slogan "COP28" and will include programmes related to sustainable development goals.
The topic of the COP28 Village will revolve around the issues and goals of sustainable development, highlighting the most prominent aspects of the global event, in addition to programmes related to Adventure and ‘Discover Marmum’ programmes and ways to conserve natural reserves.
In addition, the camp programme will include visits to the most prominent tourist attractions in the country.