- 24th World Scout Jamboree - https://www.2019wsj.org -

What Summit stories taught me… and why it means so much

Summit stories is a new initiative at the world jamboree where guest speakers come and give speeches about issues that matter to them and issues that are prevalent throughout the world.

 

The other day I went to a talk on gender equity. This subject is quite intense and controversial, it’s often mocked or dismissed by most people and thought of as extreme, but for me I thought this activity was one of the best things I could’ve done with my time. It left me with so much to think about and reflect on, and I think this one talk will give this camp a legacy for me that I won’t forget and I will hold with me forever.

 

Before the talk I considered myself a feminist from the view that I believe everyone is equal but the talk really opened my eyes to some hard truths about diversity in the 21st century and the discussions afterward branched out to help me talk to others my age about topics I’m passionate about and I struggle with.

 

The guests were a mixture of participants talking about their own experiences as scouts, leaders talking and giving tips on how to deal with these issues, and speakers from outside of scouting talking about their relevance in the 21st century. When I went there were two leaders giving talks on their experiences and views on gender equality, what they’ve done and subsequently we could do to stop sexism in scouting and all other areas of our lives. There was also multiple scouts who talked about instances on camp and on social night  where they’ve been bullied or denied opportunity. These scouts who done these talks were very inspirational and made me think about these issues in the context of my everyday life. The day finished with a talk from a former UN Ambassador who talked about equity and equality giving us an inspiring message to stand against this when we see it.

 

This activity left me with positive messages and an awareness of something I knew about but didn’t always have the bravery to confront. This makes this activity for me one of the most worth while and best uses of my time on camp and I recommend it to everyone.