European Jamboree 2020 rescheduled to Summer 2021

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Source:  https://ej2020.org/european-jamboree-2020-rescheduled-to-summer-2021/

 

European Jamboree 2020 rescheduled to Summer 2021

After extensive risk assessments and consultations, ZHP, WOSM and WAGGGS have come to the decision to move the European Jamboree to 2021. With the support of the host city of Gdańsk, the European Jamboree will take place 2-13 August 2021 on Sobieszewo Island. More than ever, we believe in the mission of the European Jamboree to bring together a global community of young Scouts and Guides. By rescheduling to 2021, we want to make sure that this opportunity of a lifetime is not lost for our participants, volunteers and staff.

22,500 Scouts and Guides from all over the world have decided to come to Poland in the summer of 2020 to join the European Jamboree, ready for the experience of a lifetime. Many of them started their preparations more than two years ago.

The outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lots of plans and caused great sorrow and uncertainty in many parts of the world. During all this, Scouts and Guides have stepped up to serve their communities. This should, in a time of great concern, give us great confidence that our movement is naturally responding to new realities, mobilising to be the social force that can make a difference in local communities.

At the same time, the Jamboree Organisation was faced with the difficult question of navigating the event through this uncertainty. The Jamboree Executive Team, ZHP, WOSM and WAGGGS, in partnership with the Polish health authorities, have carefully monitored the global health situation since the beginnings of the outbreak. After extensively evaluating different scenarios, we have decided to reschedule the European Jamboree to 2021.

By canceling the event, the financial and emotional impact for contingents would have been significant. By moving the European Jamboree to next summer, we are opening up the opportunity for the experience of a lifetime once more – the possibility for Scouts and Guides to still dream about their international jamboree adventure.

We are aware that our world will face challenges, even after the global pandemic has been contained: e.g. the development of the global health situation as well as the long-term financial impacts on Scouting, Guiding and all other parts of life. Together with ZHP, WOSM and WAGGGS, we will continue to monitor the situation with the health and safety of all as the primary concern.

Yet in a post-pandemic world, we want the European Jamboree to be a beacon of hope and understanding, of unity and solidarity – for young people and adults. Let us use the European Jamboree as a moment of revival and recovery and set an example in good Scouting and Guiding spirit.

Moving the European Jamboree to 2021 will come with its own set of challenges. As the Jamboree Organisation, we are prepared to work on delivering a phenomenal event with utmost dedication. But it will require all our solidarity, creativity, determination and flexibility to make it happen. All of us might need to make sacrifices and compromises to achieve something truly remarkable in times where this is needed more than ever.

Information for Participants and Parents

As participants and parents, you should seek information from your respective National Contingent. We are asking you for patience and understanding as National Contingents, many of them run by volunteers, need time to coordinate the rescheduling with the national leadership of National Scout Organisations/Member Organisations.

Technical Circular

Contingent Management Teams of participating NSOs/MOs received Circular 8/2020 on 4 April 2020 with technical information about the rescheduling.

Taking Care of Each Other

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting us all. If you’d like some guidance on how to talk about the global pandemic with teenagers, the EJ2020 Safe from Harm Team has prepared some advice: LINK