Scouts from Derbyshire embark on a 6,000-mile trip to South Korea for a once in a lifetime adventure

25th World Scout Jamboree in South Korea is taking place from August 1st – 12th 2023. 4,500 Scouts from the UK will join with 40,000 others from around the world.

Three Scouts from Derbyshire arrived at Heathrow Airport to begin their journey to South Korea for the 25th World Scout Jamboree. Scouts from nearly every country on the planet come together once every four years to promote unity, community and togetherness.

This year the event will be hosted in Gunsan-si, South Korea and it is the second time the country has hosted the event, the 17th World Scout Jamboree was held in the country in 1991. The Scouts who are aged 14 – 18 will learn new skills, experience new cultures, and make international bonds with fellow scouts who may not share the same mother tongue, but hold the same values as one another.

The Scouts heading to the Jamboree will also have the amazing opportunity of exploring Seoul for three days and also visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) – where they will see the original demarcation line placed between North Korea and South Korea at the end of World War II.

The three Scouts from Derbyshire: Olivia Mlot, Heather Whittall, and International Service Team member, Joanne Alflat, along with and 4,500 others from across the UK, will join over 45,000 others from almost every country in the world this year. Many Scouts spend years looking forward to this event as only Scouts ages 14- to 17 are eligible to apply for the Jamboree. Participants are selected two years ahead of the event so the Scouts can focus on their fundraising skills to fund their trip.

Olivia Mlot, 15 from Ashbourne said: ‘I am really looking forward to visiting all parts of Seoul and finding out about food and culture’.

Heather Whittall, 17 from Loscoe said:‘I am so excited to finally be going to Korea! All of the food looks amazing; I am ready to fully immerse myself into the whole Korean culture! My sister got to go white water rafting at the last World Scout Jamboree when it was in USA, it sounded epic so I hope I get the chance to do it there in Korea. With so many other cultures on site at camp and with nearly every country going, there is going to be so many activities and foods to try out… it is going to be amazing!’

Joanne Alflat, one of the adult volunteers on the International Service Team, said: ‘I met lots of new people on the flight and loads of Scouts from other countries in the airport in Qatar. Seoul is very clean and friendly, and I’m so looking forward to the temple stay tomorrow.’

Chief Scout Bear Grylls said: ‘Scouts from all corners of the UK are travelling over 12 hours to South Korea for the 25th World Scouts Jamboree. This year 4,500 young people from the UK and 40,000 others from nearly every country on the planet are coming together to take on new adventures, make lifelong friendships and experience this once in a life time opportunity. The theme of the Jamboree this year is to "Draw your Dream", representing our willingness to accept young people's ideas and opinions, and create an opportunity for them to make their Jamboree dreams come true. I’m so proud to be a part of a movement that puts young people first by helping almost half a million people develop skills for life.’