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GLEN JEAN, W.Va., July 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the official start of the 2019 World Scout Jamboree, where more than 45,000 Scouts and Scouting leaders from over 150 countries will come together at the Summit Bechtel Reserve to "Unlock a New World," the theme of the 24^th World Scout Jamboree. This is the largest outdoor educational event organized by the World Scout Movement, gathering Scouts and leaders every four years.  A staff of 10,500 volunteers will deliver a life-changing experience to Scouts from around the globe at the world's most sustainable campsite, the 10,000-acre Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, for this once-in-a-lifetime event from July 22 to August 2, 2019. 

"After almost a decade of planning, the start of the World Scout Jamboree is finally upon us," said 2019 World Scout Jamboree co-chair Scott Sorrels. "Today, we welcome the world to West Virginia where we have a world-class site that is staffed by a world-class team and supported by the most hospitable community in the United States."

"The next 12 days will be a time of great activity and excitement for Scouts from around the world as we strive to deliver an unprecedented jamboree experience," added Sorrels.

Celebrating collaboration and partnership, the World Organization of the Scout Movement selected Scouts Canada, Asociación de Scouts de México and the Boy Scouts of America to co-host the 2019 World Scout Jamboree. The youth bid team, known as the Dream Team, chose "Unlock a New World" as the event theme to highlight the new adventures, cultures and friendships that will be shared by Scouts from around the world during the 12-day event. 

The 2019 World Scout Jamboree will include a wide variety of outdoor adventure activities in a camping environment at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, the most advanced adventure facility for youth in the world.  Participants may choose from nearly 50 "wild and wonderful" adventures such as whitewater rafting, zip lining, rock climbing, skateboarding and mountain biking.

"This Jamboree will be the most actioned-packed Scouting event ever presented," said 2019 World Scout Jamboree co-chair Omar Lugo with Asociación de Scouts de México. "Scout participants will have an opportunity to experience outdoor adventures like no other."

The World Scout Jamboree offers an inviting atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding, and fosters social interaction and engagement among Scouts from different cultures. This is a hallmark of the Jamboree experience. Through educational activities, the 2019 World Scout Jamboree supports young people to develop leadership skills and engage in dialogue about peace and sustainability, enabling them to become active global citizens who are creating positive change in communities around the world.

"We are excited to welcome the world of Scouting to North America," said 2019 World Scout Jamboree co-chair Mike Scott with Scouts Canada. "The opportunity to learn about one another's cultures and to celebrate the shared values of the Scouting movement is what the World Scout Jamboree is all about."

The 24^th World Scout Jamboree will feature the hallmarks of past world jamborees, including:

• The Global Development Village (GDV) is an interactive space designed to raise awareness of global issues, encouraging Scouts to create a better world. The GDV's focus will be on encouraging young people to make the world's largest youth contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. A new app, Nano, is also being launched designed to engage Scouts and other young people in taking action for the environment.
• Centro Mondial is an educational area with three components: Faith & Beliefs, Living in the 21^st Century and the North American Dream.
• World Point will be hub of excitement and activity during the 24th World Scout Jamboree. Here, National Scout Organizations are encouraged to highlight their culture and demonstrate the uniqueness of their countries. Scouts will explore the different cultures and how what makes us different can actually draw us together.

Additionally, programming throughout the Jamboree will incorporate an emphasis on cross-cultural respect and engagement, as well as gender equality.

For more information about the 2019 World Scout Jamboree, please visit http://2019wsj.org.

About the 2019 World Scout Jamboree
Scouting is the world's leading educational youth movement, engaging millions of young people to be active citizens and create positive change in their communities. The 2019 World Scout Jamboree, hosted by Scouts Canada, Asociación de Scouts de México, and the Boy Scouts of America, welcomes 45,000 Scouts and leaders from more than 150 National Scout Organizations to the world's most sustainable campsite—the 10,000-acre Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia. From July 22 to August 2, 2019, the 24^th World Scout Jamboree will deliver nearly 50 "wild and wonderful" activities from the most advanced adventure facility for youth in the world. The World Scout Jamboree is the largest outdoor educational event organized every four years by the World Scout Movement, an international organization comprised of more than 50 million Scouts connected together through a network of 170 National Scout Organizations. Find out more at www.scout.org

SOURCE World Scout Jamboree