Scouts from Abingdon have landed in South Korea for a major gathering with participants from nearly every country in the world.
This year the event, which is held every four years, is being hosted in Gunsan-si, South Korea, and it is the second time the country has hosted the event, with the 17th jamboree being held in the county in 1991.
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The scouts, aged 14 to 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.
The scouts at the jamboree will also have the opportunity to explore Seoul for three days, including a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where they will see the original demarcation line between North Korea and South Korea at the end of World War II.
Sid Preston, 15, from Abingdon said: “We have been having an amazing time exploring Seoul so far.
“We have been looking around the local streets and trying Korean food which is brilliant.
“Today we are going to visit the N Seoul Tower, which is meant to have a beautiful view of the city.
“I’m excited to get to the jamboree site and I am looking forward to having a unique experience that I wouldn’t be able to get outside of scouting.”
A total of 4,500 scouts from across the UK have made their way to South Korea for the event, joined by more than 45,000 others from across the globe.
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.
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 45,000 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 lifetime 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.”
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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.
Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1
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