The seven-day long 25th International Cultural Jamboree of Scouts and Guides came to an end in Moodbidri on Tuesday with lowering of the flag and declaration by Bharath Scouts and Guides State Chief Commissioner P.G.R. Sindhia.
As many as 63,000 scouts, guides, rovers and rangers and their trainers, including a contingent from Malaysia, and volunteers participated in the Jamboree. Apart from activities related to adventure, skill enhancement and personality development, the volunteers were involved in various cultural programmes held at the campuses of Alva’s institutions.
On Tuesday, around 48,000 scouts and guides were involved in a mass yoga programme. The programme was conducted by 600 trainers, who have held 30 minute long training sessions every day for the volunteers since December 22. The volunteers presented a series of standing and sitting asanas, which was followed by breathing exercises, pranayama and meditation.
Addressing the participants, Francis Xavier Gomes, the administrator of Milagres Education Institutions, said exposure to the cultural jamboree has brought in a change in the thinking among the participants. “You are going to confront the same society with a changed mentality now” he said.
Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Panditacharya Swamiji of Jain Mutt, Moodbidri, said, “Like the way we maintain balance of the body, the balance in our society should also be maintained.”
Moulana Haji Abdul Azeez, President of the Samastha Sunni Yuvajana Sangha, Dakshina Kannada, and M. Mohan Alva, the District Chief Commissioner of Bharath Scouts and Guides, Dakshina Kannada, also spoke.