What is it, really, that sets a Jamboree apart from other scout camps? Is it all the cool activities that you’re able to take part in, the great Opening Show, or the huge amount of tents in one single place?

Obviously, there is no such thing as a right or wrong answer to that question, instead it is a matter of personal perception. For me, however, it’s all about the feeling. There’s this unique, almost unexplainable, feeling that you experience by just being present at the Jamboree. It has little to do with the ziplines, climbing facilities, or the great shows. Instead, it’s all about the small things; waking up to the sound of Bolivian music, hearing the British scouts laugh together while having breakfast, encountering scouts from Egypt on your way to the bathroom, or swapping contingent badges with scouts from Hongkong as you make your way between the tents. It’s about being here and now, in this very moment, and simply embracing all the sounds, sights, smells, and tastes.

It is because of this genuinely international atmosphere, this never-ending cultural exchange, that a Jamboree becomes a Jamboree and nothing else. This is also why in two weeks time, when the Jamboree has come to an end and you once again find yourself sleeping in your own comfortable bed, that the daily life at the Jamboree appears to be an entirely different world, something you’ve experienced in a previous life. But now it’s here, it’s real, and it’s truly amazing.

A flag for every country present – the world comes together!

Scouts on their way to the Summit Centre