The Scout Association of Hong Kong is the largest
scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
organisation in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
. Scout training was first introduced in Hong Kong in 1909 and 1910 by the
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
based
Boys' Brigade
The Boys' Brigade (BB) is an international interdenominational Christian youth organisation, conceived by the Scottish businessman Sir William Alexander Smith to combine drill and fun activities with Christian values. Following its inception ...
,
Chums Scout Patrols and
British Boy Scouts
The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association (BBS & BGS Association; also known as The Brotherhood of British Scouts) is an early scouting organisation, having begun as the Battersea Boy Scouts in 1908.'' The Scout'', September 190 ...
. The
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
St. Joseph's College, formed its Boy Scout Troop in 1913, and registered with the
Boy Scouts Association
The Scout Association is the largest Scouting organisation in the United Kingdom and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origin of Scouting in 1907, the association was for ...
of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
in 1914. The Boy Scouts Association formed its Hong Kong Local Association in July 1915 which became its Hong Kong Branch. After changes to the name of the United Kingdom organisation in 1967, the branch name was changed to The Scout Association Hong Kong Branch. In 1977, The Scout Association of Hong Kong was constituted as an autonomous association and successor to The Scout Association's Hong Kong Branch and became the 111th member of the
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOS ...
(WOSM) in 1977.
In 2008, the association had 95,877
uniform
A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, se ...
ed members,
with approximately 2700 Scout groups in the sections
Grasshopper Scouts
Grasshopper Scouts ( Chinese: 小童軍), Grasshopper Section, or simply Grasshopper, is a Scout section of The Scout Association of Hong Kong in Hong Kong for 5 to 8-year-old boys and girls. Established in 1985, it is modeled after Beaver Scouts ...
,
Cubs,
Scouts
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
,
Venture
Venture may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
*The Ventures, an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958
*"A Venture", 1971 song by the band Yes
*''Venture'', a 2010 EP by AJR
Games
* ''Venture'' (video game), a 1981 arcade gam ...
and
Rover Scout
Rover Scouts, Rovers, Rover Scouting or Rovering is a program associated with some Scouting organizations for adult men and women. A group of Rovers is called a 'Rover Crew'.
Rovers was originated by The Scout Association, The Boy Scouts Assoc ...
s, making it the largest uniformed
youth organisation
The following is a list of youth organizations. A youth organization is a type of organization with a focus upon providing activities and socialization for minors. In this list, most organizations are international unless noted otherwise.
...
in Hong Kong. The headquarters at the Hong Kong Scout Centre (香港童軍中心) in
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui, often abbreviated as TST, is an list of areas of Hong Kong, urban area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hu ...
,
Kowloon
Kowloon () is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. With a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of in 2006, it is the most populous area in Hong Kong, compared with Hong Kong Island and t ...
host the administration, headed by the
Hong Kong Chief Commissioner (香港總監).
The association runs
campsite
A campsite, also known as a campground or camping pitch, is a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using te ...
s, including
Gilwell Campsite
Gilwell Campsite () a major campsite run by the Scout Association of Hong Kong for wild camping and other scouting activities in the Kowloon Peak (Fei Ngo Shan) area in New Kowloon, Hong Kong The campsite is near MacLehose Trail with road ac ...
(基維爾營地), Tai Tam Scout Centre (大潭童軍中心) and Tung Tsz Scout Centre (洞梓童軍中心), as well as
hostel
A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory, with shared use of a lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or shared b ...
s and Scout Activity Centres. It annually organises the traditional Scout Rally, providing Scout competitions and activities. For specific anniversaries, themed
jamborees have been organised.
The Scout movement is the largest uniform group in Hong Kong, consisting of more than 100,000 members.
History
Founding of Hong Kong Scouting movement
Scout training was first introduced to boys in Hong Kong in 1909 and 1910, only a few years after the beginning of the
Scout movement
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, when Rev. Spink started a Boys' Brigade Company attached to the St. Andrew's Church in Kowloon, in response to popular requests for Scouting activities in the expatriate community of Hong Kong. By 1911, British merchants and military personnel had started to organise Boy Scout troops in the city. On 16 April 1912,
Lieutenant-General Baden-Powell, Chief Scout of The Boy Scouts Association, arrived in Hong Kong by . He was a guest in the
Government House
Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries.
Gover ...
and discussed with officials of the
Hong Kong Government
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, commonly known as the Hong Kong Government or HKSAR Government, refers to the Executive (government), executive authorities of Hong Kong Special administrative regions of China, ...
the establishment of a branch of
The Boy Scouts Association
The Scout Association is the largest Scouting organisation in the United Kingdom and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origin of Scouting in 1907, the association was form ...
of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
and the organisation of a Boy Scout Movement in the city.
Enthusiasts and organisations, including
Queen's College and
St. Joseph's College, established Boy Scout troops. On 11 September 1913, St. Joseph's College formed a Boy Scout troop. Baden-Powell sent a letter of congratulation to the St. Joseph's College Boy Scouts on 26 November 1913, which was published in the first issue of the ''Scout Gazette'', the first Scout publication in Hong Kong. The St. Joseph's College troop was the first affiliated with the Boy Scout Association being registered as the 1st Hong Kong Boy Scout Troop on 1 May 1914. At the time, the Chief Scout was Major F.J. Bowen and the
Scoutmaster
A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.
Roles
There are many different roles a leader can fulfill depending on t ...
was Albert Edwards. Besides training in
map reading and
communication
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...
, the troop also provided training in
ambulance
An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport.
Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...
by Dr Coleman. On 29 December 1914, the troop was extended with a short-life Sea Scout Troop by Capt. P. Streafield, connected to of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
. The Troop also held the first Scout camp in
Murray Barracks
Murray Barracks () was a barracks for the British Army garrisoned in Admiralty, Central in Hong Kong. It was named after Sir George Murray, the Master-General of the Ordnance at the time of construction.
Location
It was situated between present ...
.
At the same time, Bowen was invited to
Peak School
Peak School () is a coeducational preparatory school, located on Plunkett's Road on Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The school is one of around twenty institutions in Hong Kong operated by the English Schools Foundation (ESF).
The sc ...
to educate pupils in Scouting and the school later established a
Wolf Cub Pack.
The 2nd Hong Kong Scout Troop of
St. Andrew's Church was registered on 25 November 1914.
Major
Alexander Anderson McHardy
Major-General Alexander Anderson McHardy, 9 November 1868 – 11 November 1958) was a British Army officer and Scout.
Career
McHardy was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Alexander Burness McHardy and Elsie Norrie Anderson. He was married to Lil ...
was appointed
Colony Commissioner on 1 May 1914 and then-Governor of Hong Kong
Francis Henry May
Sir Francis Henry May (; 14 March 1860 – 6 February 1922) was a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Fiji from 1911 to 1912 and Governor of Hong Kong from 1912 to 1918.
Early life and education
May was born in Dublin, Ire ...
became
Chief Scout of Hong Kong. At the beginning all member Scouts were of European descent and not well-recognised by Chinese society.
Membership was restricted to those of British nationality. Vice Admiral
Robert Hamilton Anstruther succeeded Major McHardy as Colony Commissioner on 1 May 1915. The Boy Scout Association Hong Kong branch started up in July 1915, and was responsible for Scout training. At the end of September 1915, there were in total 155 members in the first
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
.
Growth and development
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, many Scouting leaders served in the war, which limited Scouting in Hong Kong, but the
1st World Scout Jamboree between 30 July and 8 August 1920 revived Hong Kong Scouting. Lieutenant-Colonel F. J. Bowen returned to Hong Kong after the end of the war, and actively participated in the Movement.
He became the Colony Commissioner in July 1920 and reorganised the Hong Kong Branch. At the end of 1920, membership was approximately 140 members.
![Prince of Wales Banner](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Prince_of_Wales_Banner.jpg)
The reorganised branch held a Scout Rally at the
Murray Parade Ground
Murray Barracks () was a barracks for the British Army garrisoned in Admiralty, Central in Hong Kong. It was named after Sir George Murray
Sir George Murray (6 February 1772 – 28 July 1846) was a British soldier and politician from Scotla ...
on 8 January 1921 at
Garden Road, now called
Cheung Kong Center
Cheung Kong Center is a skyscraper in Central, Hong Kong, Central, Hong Kong designed by Cesar Pelli. It is 68 storeys tall with height of and a gross floor area of . When completed in 1999, it was the third-tallest building in the city af ...
. In September 1921, the
Reverend
The Reverend is an style (manner of address), honorific style most often placed before the names of Christian clergy and Minister of religion, ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and c ...
George Turner Waldegrave
The Reverend George Turner Waldegrave MBE (18 March 1889 – 15 May 1966) was the son of Reverend Samuel Edmund Waldegrave and Alice Millett.
He was the Colony Commissioner of the Boy Scout Association, Hong Kong Branch from November 1921 ...
succeeded Bowen, and the Scout Movement was firmly established in Hong Kong, though it was still small at 384 members.
In the same year, Hong Kong Scouting expanded to the Wolf Cub Section.
Sea Scout
Sea Scouts are a part of the Scout movement, with a particular emphasis on boating and other water-based activities on the sea, rivers or lakes (canoeing, rafting, scuba, sailboarding). Sea Scouts can provide a chance to sail, cruise on boats, ...
training had been started in May 1921 with the assistance of the staff of
HMS Tamar
Six ships and a naval station of the Royal Navy have been called HMS ''Tamar'', after the River Tamar in South West England:
* was a 16-gun sloop launched at Saltash in 1758 and stationed in Newfoundland from 1763. She was renamed HMS ''Plut ...
. Following its success, Waldegrave started the first Sea Scout Troop which he registered in October 1923. The first
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
Banner Competition (威爾斯太子錦標賽), named for
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire and Emperor of India from 20 January 19 ...
, was held in
Happy Valley on 26 May 1923. The banner stayed with the victorious troop for a year and the troop was honoured with the honorary title of Governor's Troop (督憲團).
Early Scouters were military officers, priests, teachers and older Scouts. Not every Scouter would apply for a warrant, which would be required for the formal registration with the headquarters in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. It took several months to complete the whole application process through mail. Many Scouters stayed only for a short period and opted for serving without a warrant.
In order to protect Scouting activity and institute its constitution, the Hong Kong branch was
incorporated in the Boys Scouts Association
Ordinance
Ordinance may refer to:
Law
* Ordinance (Belgium), a law adopted by the Brussels Parliament or the Common Community Commission
* Ordinance (India), a temporary law promulgated by the President of India on recommendation of the Union Cabinet
* ...
, nr 22 of the
Law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
of Hong Kong on 2 December 1927. After amendments in 1939, 1950, 1975 and 1997, the ordinance became chapter 1005 of the Law of Hong Kong.
Waldegrave returned to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
in August 1934 and, in recognition of his work for the Hong Kong branch, he was awarded the civil membership of the
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
by His Majesty the King. A year or two prior to his retirement, the
Chief Scout A Chief Scout is the principal or head scout for an organization such as the military, colonial administration or expedition or a talent scout in performing, entertainment or creative arts, particularly sport. In sport, a Chief Scout can be the prin ...
Baden-Powell had awarded him the highest Scout award, the
Bronze Wolf
The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee (WSC) to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement". It is the highest honor that can be given a volunteer Scout leader in the world and it is the ...
. The Scout Association, Hong Kong Branch, grew to 682 members that year.
The Reverend
Victor Halward
Nelson Victor Halward (, called Victor; 12 December 189717 December 1953) was an English Anglican bishop in Hong Kong and British Columbia. He was the Colony Commissioner of the Boy Scout Association, Hong Kong Branch from 1934 to 1950.
Biog ...
became Colony Commissioner on 11 May 1935 after the retirement of Waldegrave. Shortly before he took over the Commissionership, at the request of the Chinese Government in
Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
, Halward had spent weekends directing a training course for
Scouter
A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.
Roles
There are many different roles a leader can fulfill depending on ...
s of the
Boy Scouts of China
The Scouts of China or the General Association of the Scouts of China in full, is the national Scouting association of the Republic of China and represents the Scouting organization in Taiwan. It is a member of the World Organization of the S ...
in
Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
. The results of his efforts were a great improvement in the relations between the Boy Scouts Association and the Boy Scouts of China, and between the Hong Kong branch and the Guangzhou section of the Boy Scouts of China. For this he also was awarded the Bronze Wolf. Numbers were still increasing yearly and in 1938 Halward appointed District Commissioners from either side of the harbour, viz.,
Quah Chow Cheung
Quah Chow-cheung ( Chinese: 柯昭璋, 8 June 1913 in Penang – 1965 in Hong Kong) was the Colony Commissioner of The Scout Association of Hong Kong from 1950 to 1953, succeeding Victor Halward. He was the first Chinese Colony Commissioner ...
and Chan, who amply justified their appointment and a large step in membership showed to approximately 1200 members in 1942.
World War II
After 1937, China was at war with the
Japanese army. Troops of the Boy Scouts of China came to Hong Kong and were incorporated into the Hong Kong Branch. Hong Kong Scouts were instrumental in aiding
war refugee
A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution. s.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Scoutmasters and adult members performed civic duties in the
Special Constabulary
The Special Constabulary is the part-time volunteer section of statutory police forces in the United Kingdom and some Crown dependencies. Its officers are known as special constables.
Every United Kingdom territorial police force has a specia ...
,
Police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...
and
Volunteer Defence Corps.
On 8 December 1941, Japanese forces crossed the
Sham Chun River
The Sham Chun River, Shum Chum River, or Shenzhen River () serves as the natural border between Hong Kong and Mainland China, together with the Sha Tau Kok River, Mirs Bay and Deep Bay.
It formed part of the limit of the lease of the N ...
and the
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong (8–25 December 1941), also known as the Defence of Hong Kong and the Fall of Hong Kong, was one of the first battles of the Pacific War in World War II. On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, forces of the ...
began.
The forces landed on Hong Kong Island on 18 December 1941, and incurred a heavy toll of death during the resistance at
Wong Nai Chung Gap
Wong Nai Chung Gap () is a geographic gap in the middle of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The gap is between Mount Nicholson and Jardine's Lookout behind Wong Nai Chung (Happy Valley). Five roads meet at the gap: Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Tai T ...
. Many Hong Kong Scouts died in the resistance activities. Although heavily resisted, the whole territory of Hong Kong came in Japanese hands on 25 December 1941. Under
Japanese rule, all formal Scouting activities halted and many Scouts joined
guerrilla units against the Japanese in the New Territories and adjacent prefectures in China. The Scouting headquarters on Garden Road was demolished during the war. The campus of St. Stephen's College (an all-boy boarding school) in
Stanley
Stanley may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Film and television
* ''Stanley'' (1972 film), an American horror film
* ''Stanley'' (1984 film), an Australian comedy
* ''Stanley'' (1999 film), an animated short
* ''Stanley'' (1956 TV series) ...
, which was being used as a military hospital for British forces at the outbreak of the war, was quickly turned into a POW camp by the occupying Imperial Japanese army. Westerners were detained there for the duration of the war. (Hong Kong was occupied for over 3 years and 8 months.) In the concentration camp, Scouting activities were conducted in the shadow. Scout Ronald Whitfield even completed proficiency badges in this period and became a
King's Scout
A King's Scout is a Scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the Uni ...
when he was back in Scotland.
After the war, Hong Kong was repossessed by British forces. For the reconstruction of Scouting, the Imperial Headquarters of The Boy Scouts Association in the United Kingdom dispatched a five-member Scout International Relief Service Team to revive the Hong Kong Scout movement. A post-war
St. George's Day Parade was held on 28 April 1946 at the
Botanical Garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
with the participation of 672 Scouts and leaders.
The salute was taken by the
General Officer Commanding,
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Francis Wogan Festing. In the early 1950s, Hong Kong Scouting was first divided into districts.
Changes to name and system
In 1967, in line with the name change of the Boy Scouts Association, the name was changed to the Scout Association, Hong Kong Branch.
In 1969, also sections were renamed, e.g., Wolf Cub to Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts to Scouts (age changed to 11–16) and Senior Scouts to Venture Scouts (age changed to 16–20).
A mixed unit of boy and girl Venture Scouts was set up in 1975. Girl members were accepted starting July 1978, making the Hong Kong branch a
co-educational
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
organisation, much earlier than the Scout Association of the United Kingdom.
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
Commissioner Sir Marc Noble suggested that the Hong Kong branch become a full member of the WOSM, and they were accepted as its 111th full member on 26 April 1977 with its name formally changed to The Scout Association of Hong Kong.
International activities up to 2000
The 60th anniversary of Hong Kong Scouting was held between 23 and 29 July 1971 at the
Castle Peak and was attended by more than 5,000 Scouts.
The British contingent to the
14th World Scout Jamboree, led by
Robert Baden-Powell, 3rd Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Crause Baden-Powell, 3rd Baron Baden-Powell (15 October 1936 – 28 December 2019) was the elder son of Carine Boardman and Peter Baden-Powell, 2nd Baron Baden-Powell, and a grandson of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, a ...
, included Scouts from branches in
Bermuda
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = National song
, song = " Hail to Bermuda"
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, mapsize2 =
, map_caption2 =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name =
, e ...
, Hong Kong and
Rhodesia
Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...
.
Hong Kong hosted the 11th annual Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference in 1978. It was attended by 19 countries and 300 delegates. In 1980, the Administration Conference for Commissioners was held. The Scout Association of Hong Kong has organised activities to echo the
International Youth Year
The year 1985 was proclaimed by the United Nations as the International Youth Year (IYY). It was held to focus attention on issues of concern to and relating to youth. The proclamation was signed on January 1, 1985, by United Nations Secretary Gen ...
in 1985.
In the early 1990s, the Chief Commissioner
Chau Cham-son brought the association into a new era by having planned and completed in 1994 the 25-story Hong Kong Scout Centre, providing the association with a meaningful foundation for its development to be financially self-sufficient. The 19th Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference was held in 1998 at the Hong Kong Scout Centre, and was the first Scout Conference held fully on Scout premises.
Honorary President of the
World Scout Foundation The World Scout Foundation (WSF) is an international, non-profit institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. Its mission is to develop World Scouting by the provision of financial and other support through the World Organization of the Scout Movement ...
and
King of Sweden
The monarchy of Sweden is the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parliamentary system: see the Instrument o ...
Carl XVI Gustaf
Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. He ascended the throne on the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, on 15 September 1973.
He is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Du ...
made a visit to Hong Kong for the 45th Baden-Powell World Fellowship Event at the Hong Kong Scout Centre, which raised US$385,000 for the World Scout Foundation.
Sovereignty transfer
The sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred to
The People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
(PRC) on 1 July 1997, but Hong Kong Scouting remained unchanged. Thirteen years previous to Hong Kong's
sovereignty transfer
A number of methods of acquisition of sovereignty are or have been recognised by international law as lawful methods by which a state may acquire sovereignty over territory. International law adopts much of Roman property law in regards to acquis ...
, the UK and the PRC had reached an agreement on the future of Hong Kong and embodied the agreement by signing the
Sino-British Joint Declaration
The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a treaty between the governments of the United Kingdom and China signed in 1984 setting the conditions in which Hong Kong was transferred to Chinese control and for the governance of the territory after ...
. Under the framework of the declaration, Scouting is part of the way of life in Hong Kong, and can be preserved for fifty years.
With Scouting being protected under this declaration, Hong Kong remains a full member of WOSM today.
Although no major change occurred in Hong Kong Scouting, adjustments were made before and after the sovereignty transfer including the withdrawal of the Gurkha district as the British forces together with
Gurkha Brigade
The Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective name which refers to all the units in the British Army that are composed of Nepalese Gurkha soldiers. The brigade draws its heritage from Gurkha units that originally served in the British Indian Army ...
s left Hong Kong, and the cessation of Scouting support by British Forces. Under PRC rule, the
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
entered in no such connection with the association. One increasing trend is to practise the PRC anthem and teach the knowledge of the PRC flag, with the British anthem and flag emphasised only in historical context. In line with the sovereignty change, the Promises of Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Grasshopper Scouts were modified on 12 January 2001, and the phrases ''the territory'' or ''Hong Kong'' were replaced with ''my country''.
The Scout Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) were also changed accordingly.
Since the sovereignty change, the association encourages Scouts to participate in cultural exchange programmes in
mainland China
"Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
. A Scout Jamboree for both Hong Kong Scouts and
Young Pioneers of China
The Young Pioneers of China (), often shortened to the Young Pioneers (), is a mass youth organization for children aged six to fourteen in the People's Republic of China. The Young Pioneers of China is run by the Communist Youth League, an o ...
was held in
Shenzhen
Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...
in 2004. Educational organisations in mainland China participated the Metropolitan Jamboree in December 2006 in Hong Kong. After the
split of China in 1949, Chinese Scouting existed mainly in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
-based
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
. The Scout Association of Hong Kong maintains good relationship with
Scouts of China
The Scouts of China or the General Association of the Scouts of China in full, is the national Scouting association of the Republic of China and represents the Scouting organization in Taiwan. It is a member of the World Organization of the Sco ...
. This good relationship continues even after the sovereignty transfer, albeit that political symbols such as the anthems and the flag of the People's Republic of China become sensitive in exchange activities.
New millennium
Herman Hui
Hui Chung-shing ( Chinese: 許宗盛), BBS, MH, JP (born 1951), anglicised as Herman Hui, is a former chairman of the World Scout Committee, the executive board for the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 2005 to 2008.
He is a Hong ...
, the Deputy Chief Commissioner (Support) of Hong Kong was elected to the
World Scout Committee
The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...
at the 36th World Scout Conference in 2002, and was the second Hong Kong Scout leader to be elected. In the 37th World Scout Conference held in
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
in 2005, Hui was elected as the Chairman of the World Scout Committee for a term of three years.
In order to further develop the Scout Movement in Hong Kong and to heighten it output quality, they published the document ''Scout Association of Hong Kong, Into the 21st century'' in 1999. The target set in 1991 to increase Scout membership to 83,000 members in ten years was achieved: membership was 89,925 at the end of 2002. The next target of membership growth was 100,000 members in 2004.
Pau Shiu-hung was appointed Chief Commissioner by
Tung Chee-hwa
Tung Chee-hwa (; born 7 July 1937) is a Hong Kong businessman and politician who served as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong between 1997 and 2005, upon the transfer of sovereignty on 1 July. He is currently a vice-chairman of the Chin ...
, Chief Scout of Hong Kong and Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He commenced his official duties as Chief Commissioner on 2004-01-01.
Air Scouting
The history of Air Scouting in Hong Kong began in 1967 when a Jesuit priest, Father Cunningham, formed an Air Scout Troop in the 11th Kowloon Scout Group of Kowloon Wah Yan College during the five-year expansion plan of the Scout Association of Hong Kong. Initially, participation in the Air Scouts was limited to students of the Wan Yan College. Then this closed group added a Venture Air Scout unit as the original 1967 Air Scouts reached the age of sixteen, the minimum age required to become Venture Air Scouts. In 1972, the Chief Scout of Hong Kong appointed Mr. Francis Yiu Cheong CHIN, Q.S., J.P. as the first Air Scout Commissioner to develop and expand Air Scouting. Mr. Chin is a Queen's Scout, a Scout Leader Trainer, and a member of the Hong Kong Chin Brothers aviators who established the long-distance flying record of successfully completed "The First 100 horsepower Single-engine England to Hong Kong Long Distance Cross-Country Flight in History". As a result, Air Scouting spread and flourished and expanded to 18 Air Scout units in 5 Regions of Scout Groups in Hong Kong. Mr. Chin is the first Air Scout Commissioner of Hong Kong who built up the foundation of Air Scouting in Hong Kong and his air scouting training system continued up to today.
Presently an Air Activity Board which draws members from airline pilots, the
Government Flying Service
The Government Flying Service (GFS) is a disciplined unit and paramilitary flying organisation of the Government of Hong Kong.
The service has its head office in, and operates from, the southwestern end of Hong Kong International Airport at ...
, and local aviation clubs. The Board acts as the core policy and program-making group, and helps to grow the Air Scout Movement. The Learning Training Institute of the Scout Association also runs an Aviation Training Centre which houses a number of flight simulators, including full motion simulators, and conducts training for Scout members for the purpose of aviation education and preparation for private pilot training.
Banquets
In April 2021, SCMP reported that the Scout Association was under investigation by the Office of the Licensing Authority, as well as the Food and the Environmental Hygiene Department for allegedly hosting banquets above the limit of 20 people. In October 2021, the government revealed it would prosecute the case, and that one banquet had more than five times the legal limit of people.
Organisation
The organisation is governed according to Chapter 1005 of the Law of Hong Kong, and the statutory ''Policy, Organisation and Rules'' (POR, 政策、組織及規條) of the association.
All members join the association voluntarily and it is open to all who are willing to follow the association's guiding principles, the Scout Promise and the Scout Law. All
races,
creed
A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared beliefs of a community (often a religious community) in a form which is structured by subjects which summarize its core tenets.
The ea ...
s,
classes and
sex
Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...
es are welcome. The only limit is the minimum age of five years.
The association encourages members to be in touch with a religion in its religion policy,
but like the population of Hong Kong, the vast majority of Scouts belong to no religious denomination.
The POR mentions that members are required to pay a membership
subscription
The subscription business model is a business model in which a customer must pay a recurring price at regular intervals for access to a product or service. The model was pioneered by publishers of books and periodicals in the 17th century, and ...
fee, which is in line with WOSM regulation.
However, most members are not aware of this subscription because it is not collected directly from individuals or any Scout units, but through the selling of each individual
World Membership Badge.
Chief Scouts and Chief Commissioners
The Chief Scout of Hong Kong (香港童軍總領袖) is the head of the Scout Association of Hong Kong. From 1914 to 1997 the function was held by the
Governor of Hong Kong
The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. ...
, and from 1997 onward by the
Chief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is the representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and head of the Government of Hong Kong. The position was created to replace the office of governor of ...
. The Chief Scout is responsible for appointing the Hong Kong Chief Commissioner.
*
Francis May (1912–1919)
*
Reginald Stubbs
Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs (; 13 October 1876 – 7 December 1947) was a British colonial governor, who was once the Governor of Hong Kong. He caused controversy while Governor of Ceylon over the Bracegirdle Incident.
Early life and educati ...
(1919–1925)
*
Cecil Clementi
Sir Cecil Clementi (; 1 September 1875 – 5 April 1947) was a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Hong Kong from 1925 to 1930, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Straits Settlements from 1930 to 1934.
Early lif ...
(1925–1930)
*
William Peel (1930–1935)
*
Andrew Caldecott (1935–1937)
*
Geoffry Northcote
Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote, Order of St Michael and St George, KCMG KStJ (羅富國;9 February 1881 – 10 July 1948) was a British colonial administrator.
Early life, education, and early colonial services career
Northcote was th ...
(1937–1941)
*
Mark Young (1941–1947)
*
Alexander Grantham
Sir Alexander William George Herder Grantham, GCMG (; 15 March 1899 – 4 October 1978) was a British colonial administrator who governed Hong Kong and Fiji.
Early life, colonial administration career
Grantham was born on 15 March 1899 ...
(1947–1958)
*
Robert Brown Black
Sir Robert Brown Black (3 June 1906 – 29 October 1999) was a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Singapore from 1955 to 1957, and Governor of Hong Kong from 1958 to 1964.
Born in Edinburgh and educated at George Watson ...
(1958–1964)
*
David Trench
Sir David Clive Crosbie Trench (; 2 June 1915 – 4 December 1988) was a British Army officer and colonial governor.
Early life
Trench was educated at Tonbridge School, Tonbridge, Kent and graduated from Jesus College, Cambridge with the degre ...
(1964–1971)
*
Murray MacLehose
Crawford Murray MacLehose, Baron MacLehose of Beoch, (; 16 October 1917 – 27 May 2000), was a British politician, diplomat and the 25th Governor of Hong Kong, from 1971 to 1982. He was the longest-serving governor of the colony, with four ...
(1971–1982)
*
Edward Youde
Sir Edward Youde (; Cantonese: ''Yau Tak''; 19 June 1924 – 5 December 1986) was a British administrator, diplomat and Sinologist. He served as Governor of Hong Kong between 20 May 1982 and his death on 5 December 1986.
Early years
Youde ...
(1982–1986)
*
David Wilson (1987–1992)
*
Christopher Patten
Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, (; born 12 May 1944) is a British politician who was the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997 and Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1992. He was made a life ...
(1992–1997)
*
Tung Chee-hwa
Tung Chee-hwa (; born 7 July 1937) is a Hong Kong businessman and politician who served as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong between 1997 and 2005, upon the transfer of sovereignty on 1 July. He is currently a vice-chairman of the Chin ...
(1997–2005)
*
Donald Tsang Yam-kuen
Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen (; born 7 October 1944) is a former Hong Kong civil servant who served as the second Chief Executive of Hong Kong from 2005 to 2012.
Tsang joined the colonial civil service as an Executive Officer in 1967, occupyin ...
(2005–2012)
*
Leung Chun-ying
Leung Chun-ying (; born 12 August 1954), also known as CY Leung, is a Hong Kong politician and chartered surveyor, who has served as vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference since Ma ...
(2012–2017)
*
Carrie Lam
Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor ( Cheng; ; born 13 May 1957) is a retired Hong Kong politician who served as the 4th Chief Executive of Hong Kong from 2017 to 2022. She served as Chief Secretary for Administration between 2012 and 2017 and Secr ...
(2017–present)
The chief commissioner (香港總監), usually abbreviated as CC, is the administrative head of the Scout Association of Hong Kong. The function was formerly known as Colony Commissioner. The first commissioner, Alexander Anderson McHardy, was appointed 1 May 1914 when the Hong Kong Branch was formally registered with the Scout Association. The Chief Commissioner from 1997 to 2004 was
Hui Chiu-yin
Hui Chiu-yin BBS ( Chinese: 許招賢), also known as John Hui, is the director and general manager of New World First Ferry in Hong Kong after his retirement from the post of Chief Superintendent of Marine Regional in Hong Kong Police Force in ...
, from 2004 to 2007 was
Pau Shiu Hung
Pau Shiu-hung, SBS, ( Chinese: 鮑紹雄, born 1942) is the former chief commissioner of the Scout Association of Hong Kong, appointed on 1 January 2004 by then-Chief Executive of Hong Kong and Chief Scout of Hong Kong Tung Chee-hwa.
Life
P ...
,
and from 2007 to 2011 was
Chan Kit Chu
Chan may refer to:
Places
*Chan (commune), Cambodia
*Chan Lake, by Chan Lake Territorial Park in Northwest Territories, Canada
People
*Chan (surname), romanization of various Chinese surnames (including 陳, 曾, 詹, 戰, and 田)
* Chan Caldwe ...
. The current Chief Commissioner is
Cheung Chi Sun.
The president of the association is
Geoffrey Ma
Geoffrey Ma Tao-li (; born 11 January 1956) is a retired Hong Kong judge who served as the 2nd Chief Justice of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal— the court of last resort (or supreme court) in Hong Kong. Between 2001 and 2010, he held ...
.
Regions, districts, and groups
In 1951, the Hong Kong branch of the Scout Association was divided into Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories districts. Later the former two were each subdivided into two separate districts, resulting in a total of five districts. In 1958, these were reclassified as areas, which were each subdivided into smaller districts, and in 1967 again renamed to be regions, with thirty-five districts among them.
Groups are basic units where member Scouts are educated. The POR recognises only two group categories, namely a Scout Group (公開旅) with unrestricted recruitment, and a Sponsored Scout Group (團體旅), organised by a
sponsor organisation, by which the recruitment might be restricted.
In practice, the vast majority of Groups are Sponsored Scout Groups organised by
primary schools
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
and
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
s. Alternatively, these are referred to as School Scout Groups (學校旅), the unrestricted groups as Open Scout Groups (公開旅), and other non-school-organised groups with restricted recruitment Organisation Scout Groups (團體旅). A group is led by a Group Scout Leader (旅長). The management of a group is organised around the Group Scouters Meeting (旅領袖會議), the Group Council (旅務委員會), and the Group Executive Committee (旅執行委員會). A group can operate any number of units in all sections.
The association does not directly finance any group. Groups may gather funds from their sponsored organisation, individual donations, the group membership fee, and the release of
raffle
A raffle is a gambling competition in which people obtain numbered tickets, each of which has the chance of winning a prize. At a set time, the winners are drawn at random from a container holding a copy of each number. The drawn tickets are chec ...
proceeds in the same annual Raffle Campaign.
Scouting sections
![Cub Scouts of Hong Kong at Scout Rally](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Cub_Scouts_of_Hong_Kong_at_Scout_Rally.jpg)
The youth members of the Scout Association in Hong Kong are currently divided into five Scouting sections.
*
Grasshopper Scouts
Grasshopper Scouts ( Chinese: 小童軍), Grasshopper Section, or simply Grasshopper, is a Scout section of The Scout Association of Hong Kong in Hong Kong for 5 to 8-year-old boys and girls. Established in 1985, it is modeled after Beaver Scouts ...
, from 6 to 8 years
*
Cub Scout
Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...
s, from 7 to 12 years
*
Scouts
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
, from 11 to 16 years
*
Venture Scout
Venturer or Venture Scouts are programs in some Scouting organisations for young people of various age ranges in the 14–20 age range. A participant in the program is called a Venturer.
Australia
The Venturer Scout program in Scouts Australia, ...
s, from 15 to 21 years
*
Rover Scout
Rover Scouts, Rovers, Rover Scouting or Rovering is a program associated with some Scouting organizations for adult men and women. A group of Rovers is called a 'Rover Crew'.
Rovers was originated by The Scout Association, The Boy Scouts Assoc ...
s, from 18 to 26 years
There are still groups specialising in Air Scouting and Sea Scouting, but no new groups have been allowed for such specialisation after 1 April 1987.
Instead, any group can operate a Sea Scout Troop or Air Scout Troop in their Scout Section, and Venture Sea Scout Unit or Venture Air Scout Unit in their Venture Scout Section, providing the same level of progressive training in sea and air activities.
A special
Extension Scouting
Extension Scouting are programs in Scouting organizations which cater for young people with special needs.
Background
Extension Scouting was earlier called ''Scouts Malgré Tout'', which is French for "Scouts Despite Everything". It aims to meet ...
section was set up for the
disabled
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...
. It is not an independent section, but customises the programmes of the five sections for specific needs of disabled people.
Ranks
Scouts
A Cub Scout or Scout has ranks in their own patrol.
For Scouts they are divided into Patrol Leader (PL), the highest rank in a patrol, Assistant Patrol Leader (APL), the second rank & P#, with the # referring to their placement in the Patrol. For example, P4 is the fourth place in a patrol, P12 is the twelfth rank in the patrol.
Only the PL and the APL have a special badge to wear on their uniform.
There is also a rank named Senior Patrol Leader (SPL). This Scout is usually older than others and is not in any patrol. He or she is responsible for the entire Cub Scout or Scout group.
For Cubs, the structure is similar but the names are different. The highest rank is the Sixer, with the second rank being the Seconder.
Rank badges for both Cubs and Scouts are about two inches wide and half an inch long. There is a gold fleur de lis in the middle with one, two or three lines next to it. The APL or Seconder badge has one line, PL or Sixer has two, and the SPL has three. That is also why the ranks are also called 單柴 (one-bar) for APL/Seconder, 兩柴 (two-bar) for PL/Sixer and 三柴 (three-bar) for SPL according to the golden bars next to the fleur de lis on the rank badge. The badge background is dark green. The badge is worn under the membership badge.
The rankings, from high to low of Scouts (excluding Scouters) are: SPL, PL/Sixer, APL/Seconder and the others.
Leaders
An adult is eligible to be a
Scout Leader
A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.
Roles
There are many different roles a leader can fulfill depending on t ...
(Scouter) from 18 to 65 years. They can serve in all five sections, or work for districts, regions, or branches in the headquarters. Adult Venture and Rover Scouts may be leaders of younger sections as part of their services.
All leaders except instructors are appointed by the association under the nomination of Group Scout Leaders, and receive a warrant after completing at least the intermediate stage of the
Woodbadge
Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership programme and the related award for adult leaders in the programmes of Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skil ...
Training Programme. Group leader and assistant group leaders are nominated by District Commissioners.
Motto, Promise, and Law
The localised versions of the Scout
Motto
A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
,
Scout Promise
The Scout Promise (or Oath) is a spoken statement made by a child joining the Scout movement. Since the publication of '' Scouting for Boys'' in 1908, all Scouts and Girl Guides around the world have taken a Scout (or Guide) promise or oath to liv ...
, and
Scout Law
Scout Law is a set of codes in the Scout movement. Since the publication of '' Scouting for Boys'' in 1908, all Scouts and Guides around the world have taken a Scout Promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to the Scou ...
for each section are inherited from those of the Scout Association.
They are officially provided in Chinese and English. At investiture it can be in a Scout's own language. The Motto is the same for all sections:
Be Prepared (準備).
Emblem
The Emblem of the association is a purple arrowhead with a back background, on which is superimposed the two Chinese characters for "Hong Kong" and the English words "Hong Kong" in purple.
Headquarters
![Hong Kong Scout Centre front entrance](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Hong_Kong_Scout_Centre_front_entrance.jpg)
There were no permanent headquarters in the early days of Hong Kong Scouting. The office was housed temporarily in old government buildings. The Chief Commissioner George Turner Waldegrave, offered the
Seamen's Institute
Seamen's Institute () was an institute training seamen in Hong Kong located at 8, Praya East which is now the Harcourt Building at Gloucester Road, Wan Chai
Wan Chai is situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the no ...
as a place for Scouting activities.
After the second World War, the British forces donated a piece of land near the
Peak Tram Terminal in Garden Road. Here a new headquarters was erected and named Morse Hut (摩士小屋) after the President Sir
Arthur Morse
Sir Arthur Morse ( Chinese: 摩士) (25 April 1892 – 13 May 1967) was the head of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation during and after World War II. He was a British banker born in Tipperary in Ireland. He worked in Shanghai, Lo ...
.
Morse Hut was officially opened on 12 November 1949, and served as the headquarters until 1954. In this period, the headquarters of
Wong Nai Chung District was also relocated to Morse Hut. Subsequently, Morse Hut was the headquarters of newly established Hong Kong Island Region from 1958 to 1978.
As the Hong Kong Scouting grew rapidly, after five years the Morse Hut was too small for the development. A new 3-story headquarter building in
Yau Ma Tei
Yau Ma Tei is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District in the south of the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong.
Name
''Yau Ma Tei'' is a phonetic transliteration of the name (originally written as ) in Cantonese. It can also be spelt as Yaumatei, ...
, Kowloon was erected at No. 9
Cox's Road with donations and assistance from Sir Arthur Morse and the
Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, having been founded in 1884. In 1959, it was granted a Royal Charter and renamed The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (). The institution reverted to its original name ...
, as well as subsidies from Hong Kong Government. It was opened officially in 1954. The house was named Morse House (摩士大廈), and served as the headquarters until June 1994, when the premises were returned to the Hong Kong Government for redevelopment.
Morse House was handed back to the Government in July 1994, after completion of the new headquarters.
![Hong Kong Scout Centre side view](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Hong_Kong_Scout_Centre_side_view.jpg)
Since June 1994, the headquarters of the Scout association is in the ''Hong Kong Scout Centre'' (香港童軍中心).
It is on
Austin Road
Austin Road is a road in-between Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was named after John Gardiner Austin, Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1868 to 1879. The northeast part of this street is noted for clubs, fields, and mi ...
, beside
Kowloon Park
Kowloon Park is a large public park in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It has an area of and is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.Leisure and Cultural Services DepartmentKowloon Park: Historical Background
History
T ...
and
Victoria Towers
The Victoria Towers () are a high-rise residential development located in the Tsim Sha Tsui area of Hong Kong. The complex consists of three towers, each rising 62 floors and in height.
The complex is located at No.188 Canton Road, at the inte ...
(港景峰) of Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. The headquarters organisation is housed on the 8th to 11th floor of the building, including Scout shops, meeting rooms, and a Scout exhibition of the history of the Hong Kong Scout organisation on the 11th. Large part of the centre is
B P International (龍堡國際賓館), a commercial hotel. Its profit is financing the building cost of the centre and the future development of Scouting in Hong Kong.
Scout Path (童軍徑) is a short road between the Hong Kong Scout Centre and
Victoria Towers
The Victoria Towers () are a high-rise residential development located in the Tsim Sha Tsui area of Hong Kong. The complex consists of three towers, each rising 62 floors and in height.
The complex is located at No.188 Canton Road, at the inte ...
. It became associated with Scouting in Hong Kong, probably on the suggestion of the Scout association. It connects Austin Road and a terminal for Hong Kong-China cross-border buses under the Hong Kong Scout Centre.
Campsites
The Scout association runs five campsites in Hong Kong. The first permanent campsite, was Barker's Bungalow in
Chaiwan
Chai Wan (; ), formerly known as Sai Wan (西灣), lies at the east end of the urban area of Hong Kong Island next to Shau Kei Wan. The area is administratively part of the Eastern District, Hong Kong, Eastern District, and is a mosaic of ind ...
. It was purchased in July 1929 by the Scout association at a cost of HK$16,000, and officially opened the same year as the Chai Wan Campsite. Here, the first
Wood Badge
Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership programme and the related award for adult leaders in the programmes of Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills ...
training course was held in 1936.
The site was returned to Hong Kong government in 1970 for urban development as the
Chai Wan Park.
The 1960s saw the further expansion of the Scout Movement; the government gave a site at Fei Ngo Shan (
Kowloon Peak
Kowloon Peak, also known as Fei Ngo Shan (literally: "Soaring Goose Mountain"), is a tall mountain in the northeast corner of New Kowloon, Hong Kong, situated in Ma On Shan Country Park. It is the tallest mountain in Kowloon, and is crossed by ...
) to the Scout association as a permanent campsite, which was named
Gilwell Campsite
Gilwell Campsite () a major campsite run by the Scout Association of Hong Kong for wild camping and other scouting activities in the Kowloon Peak (Fei Ngo Shan) area in New Kowloon, Hong Kong The campsite is near MacLehose Trail with road ac ...
(基維爾營地). It is used for
camping
Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...
and other Scouting activities. The site is located on the edge of Sai Kung District, five to ten minutes from Choi Hung. Nearby is the
MacLehose Trail
The MacLehose Trail is a 100-kilometre hiking trail that crosses much of the New Territories, Hong Kong, starting from Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung District in the east to Tuen Mun Town, Tuen Mun District in the west. The path is marked by distance p ...
with road access through an unnamed road that joins with
Fei Ngo Shan Road
Kowloon Peak, also known as Fei Ngo Shan (literally: "Soaring Goose Mountain"), is a tall mountain in the northeast corner of New Kowloon, Hong Kong, situated in Ma On Shan Country Park. It is the tallest mountain in Kowloon, and is crossed by ...
. The site is at an altitude of 430 m above sea level. Unlike other campsites managed by the Scout association, the Gilwell Campsite does not provide catering services. The site has only buildings for offices, lectures and activities. The campsite is 45 minutes walk from the nearest bus stop of route 91, 91M, 92, 96R of
Kowloon Motor Bus
The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) is a bus company operating franchised services in Hong Kong. It is the largest bus company in Hong Kong by fleet size and number of bus routes. It is a subsidiary of Transport International.
...
at
Clear Water Bay Road
Clear Water Bay Road () is a major road from Choi Hung Interchange in Ngau Chi Wan to Clear Water Bay, Sai Kung District. It also is a route to Sai Kung Town and Tseung Kwan O via Hiram's Highway and Hang Hau Road / Ying Yip Road respecti ...
near
Anderson Road.
In the 1972, Tai Tam Scout Centre (大潭童軍中心) was granted to the Scout association in exchange for the Chai Wan Campsite. The site hosts a sea activities centre, officially opened in September of that year. It is located in
Tai Tam Harbour
Tai Tam Harbour () is a harbour in the innermost part of Tai Tam Bay in the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island, in the Southern District of Hong Kong. It is located at the estuary of Tai Tam Tuk.
Geography
Tai Tam Harbour is a narrow i ...
at
Tai Tam Tuk
Tai Tam or ''Tytam'' is an area in Southern District on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Tai Tam means a ''big pool'' in the Chinese language which illustrates a triangular bay, namely Tai Tam Bay between Stanley Peninsula, D'Aguilar Peak a ...
on the south shore of the
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong, island in the southern part of Hong Kong. Known colloquially and on road signs simply as Hong Kong, the island has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km ...
. At the back of the site is a small hill, separating it from
Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir
The Tai Tam Reservoirs, also known as Tai Tam Reservoir Group, is a group of reservoirs located in the Tai Tam Country Park in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. In 1907, British troops along with Canadian troops invaded the area ...
. Along the shore is a path leading to the dam of the reservoir, with a re-sited indigenous village of Tai Tam Tuk.
Mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...
s gather at the muddy beach of the mouth rivers. The sites facilitates both a stay at the
hostel
A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory, with shared use of a lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or shared b ...
and campingsite for training and leisure. While Scouts have priority to use the site, it is also open for public use. Sports on offer include games of rope, rock climbing,
archery
Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
,
pioneering,
canoeing
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...
, and
orienteering
Orienteering is a group of sports that require navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a s ...
. The campsite is reachable by public buses passing through
Tai Tam Road
Tai Tam Road in Hong Kong links the districts of Chai Wan and Stanley on Hong Kong Island. This road connects Chai Wan Road, the northern end of Shek O Road, Turtle Cove, Tai Tam and Stanley. The Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir's dam constitutes a s ...
near
Tai Tam Reservoir Road. They are available in
Shau Kei Wan station and
Chai Wan station
Chai Wan () is the eastern terminus of the MTR on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is the only station on the Island line that is elevated. The station is located at the junction of Chai Wan Road and Island Eastern Corridor, and it serves Siu ...
of the
MTR.
More land in
Tung Tsz
Tung Tsz (), sometimes transliterated as Tung Tsai, is an area near Shuen Wan (Plover Cove) in the Tai Po District of the New Territories, Hong Kong, under the hills of Pat Sin Leng. The area is mainly rural and has a few villages. The campus of ...
,
Tai Po
Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsu ...
in the
New Territories
The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...
, was also granted to the Scout association, and was developed into the Tung Tsz Scout Centre (洞梓童軍中心), formally opened for Scouts on 1975-03-09. Sea activities can be done in the nearby Tai Mei Tuk Sea Activity Centre in
Tai Mei Tuk
Tai Mei Tuk (officially known as in Chinese; formerly and still commonly known as ; also written as or ) is a place close to the Plover Cove Reservoir in the Tai Po District, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Administration
Tai Mei Tuk is a recog ...
, Tai Po, with
bungalow
A bungalow is a small house or cottage that is either single-story or has a second story built into a sloping roof (usually with dormer windows), and may be surrounded by wide verandas.
The first house in England that was classified as a b ...
s for accommodation.
Tai Mei Tuk Sea Activity Centre (大尾督水上活動中心) is situated next to the
Plover Cove Reservoir
Plover Cove Reservoir, located within Plover Cove Country Park, in the northeastern New Territories, is the largest reservoir in Hong Kong in terms of area, and the second-largest in terms of volume. It is the world's first freshwater coastal ...
in Tai Mei Tuk for day camping and water sports training. Shatin Scout Centre (沙田童軍中心) is in
Tsok Pok Hang, near
Pok Hong Estate
Pok Hong Estate () is a public housing estate in Sha Tin Wai, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong near Sha Tin Wai station. It consists of eight residential blocks completed in 1982, 1983 and 1985. Its site was originally a shallow sand beach n ...
in
Sha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelt Shatin, is a neighbourhood along Shing Mun River in the eastern New Territories, Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District. Sha Tin is one of the neighbourhoods of the Sha Tin New Town project.
The ne ...
, providing Scouts a place for wild camping. Pak Sha Wan Tam Wah Ching Sea Activity Centre (白沙灣譚華正水上活動中心) is in
Pak Sha Wan
Pak or PAK may refer to:
Places
* Pakistan (country code PAK)
* Pak, Afghanistan
* Pak Island, in the Admiralty Islands group of Papua New Guinea
* Pak Tea House, a café in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Arts and entertainment
* PAK (band), an Ame ...
of
Sai Kung District
Sai Kung District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China. The district comprises the southern half of the Sai Kung Peninsula, the Clear Water Bay Peninsula in the New Territories and a strip of lan ...
. It is a venue for residential camp, outdoor camping and sea activities training.
Scout events
Hong Kong Scout Rally
![Scout Rally 2005 in Hong Kong Stadium](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Scout_Rally_2005_in_Hong_Kong_Stadium.jpg)
The Scout Rally is a gathering of Hong Kong Scouts in which they are given awards and compete in drills. Occurring once every year, Scouts from all over Hong Kong gather, usually in the
Hong Kong Stadium
Hong Kong Stadium is the main sports venue of Hong Kong. Redeveloped from the old Government Stadium, it reopened as Hong Kong Stadium in March 1994. It has a maximum seating capacity of 40,000, including 18,260 at the main level, 3,173 at exec ...
, for the event. There are award ceremonies for honourable awards, such as the Golden Bauhenia Award for the Cub Scout Section, the Chief Scout's Award for the Scout Section, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Scout Award for the Venture Scout Section, and the Baden Powell (BP) Award for the Rover Scout Section, as well as distinctive awards for Scout Leaders and Commissioners.
In the 1940s, the Scout Rally was merged with the former
St. George's Day Parade. As the Scouts attendance increased significantly and the space in Hong Kong declined, owing to rapid urbanisation in past decades, traditions are simplified and only selected Scouts are allowed to actively participate in the drill and activities in the rally and others remain spectators.
Jamborees
Jamborees in Hong Kong are held for specific anniversaries. According to a display in Metropolitan Jamboree in 2006, the early jamborees were held in
Chai Wan
Chai Wan (; ), formerly known as Sai Wan (西灣), lies at the east end of the urban area of Hong Kong Island next to Shau Kei Wan. The area is administratively part of the Eastern District, and is a mosaic of industrial and residential area ...
, Hong Kong around the late 1930s.
After World War II, the 1st Colony Jamborette (香港童子軍大露營) was held in
Kam Chien Village
Kam Tsin (), also known as Kam Tsin Tsuen () is a village and an area in the North District, in the New Territories in Hong Kong.
Administration
Kam Tsin is a recognized village under the New Territories Small House Policy. It is one of the v ...
in the New Territories from 19 to 22 October 1957. There were 1361 Scouts attending the jamboree, celebrating the 50 year anniversary of World Scouting and 100 year birthday of the founder. The next jamboree, the Hong Kong Golden Jubilee Jamborette (香港金禧大露營), was held between 27 December 1961 and 2 January 1962, celebrating the
Golden jubilee
A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...
(50 year anniversary) of Hong Kong Scouting with the theme ''One World'' (天下一家). At
Kowloon Tsai
Kowloon Tsai () is a place in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. It was formerly a village in a valley, which has now been developed into a low-density and upscale residential area in New Kowloon.
History
According to the ''Gazetteer of Xin'an county'' ...
, now named
Morse Park
Morse Park (), occupying , is an urban park located in Wong Tai Sin in Kowloon.
It was completed in 1967. , the Jamboree hosted 2732 Scouts in the challenging winter with heavy rain.
For the 60th anniversary of Hong Kong Scouting, the branch held the Diamond Jubilee Jamboree (鑽禧大露營) for 5000 Scouts, applying the theme ''World Harmony'' (大同) from 23 to 29 July 1971 in present-day
Tai Hing Estate
Tai Hing Estate () is the second public housing estate and the oldest existing public housing estate in Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong. There are 8,602 flats on the estate with capacity to house 21,100 people.
It is also a district council ...
in
Castle Peak. The event was originally planned to be held 22 to 28 July 1971 but shifted to one day later because of the
typhoon
A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
attack to Hong Kong. The jamboree was seriously affected by the bad weather. The campsite was flooded and facilities were damaged. Campers had to retreat to
San Fat Estate
San Fat Estate () was the first public housing estate in Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong, located on reclaimed land near the Tuen Mun River, at the junction of Pui To Road and Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road. It consisted of four residential bloc ...
in
Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun or Castle Peak is an area near the mouth of Tuen Mun River and Castle Peak Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It was one of the earliest settlements in what is now Hong Kong and can be dated to the Neolithic period. In the more re ...
for shelter overnight. The Hong Kong Post Office issued a set of three stamps for the jamboree on 23 July.
In 1986, in celebrating the 75th anniversary of Hong Kong Scouting, the Hong Kong Diamond Jubilee Jamboree (香港鑽禧大露營) was held in
Kohima Camp Kohima Camp or Kohima Barracks as it was officially described () in Tai Po Tsai north of Clear Water Bay Peninsula was the site of a proposed new army barracks to house an additional British infantry battalion to be stationed in Hong Kong following ...
, present-day
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is a public research university in Clear Water Bay Peninsula, New Territories, Hong Kong. Founded in 1991 by the British Hong Kong Government, it was the territory's third institution ...
, in
Tai Po Tsai
Tai Po Tsai () is an area and a village, clustering in a small plain around Clear Water Bay Road in Clear Water Bay Peninsula, Sai Kung District, Hong Kong.
Geography
Tai Po Tsai is located northeast of Tseung Kwan O New Town on the east mid s ...
from 27 December 1986 to 1 January 1987 with the theme ''March On'' (邁進). It was the first jamboree held after the Scout Association of Hong Kong became a full member of WOSM. The association invited Scouts from thirteen other Scout organisations around the world, and eight other local uniformed youth groups to the jamboree. Members of the
Guangzhou Youth Federation
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kong ...
(廣州市青年聯合會) from Guangzhou, People's Republic of China also joined the jamboree. The number of attendants reached 5143. On 30 December 1986, the ''Enjoy Yourself Tonight''
TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong SAR. The Company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Cantonese language service, and ...
television programme launched a programme to introduce the jamboree and Scouting to the residents in Hong Kong. The jamboree also was featured because of breaking two
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
: 3000 Cub Scouts joined the
Egg Hunt
An egg hunt is an Eastertide game during which decorated eggs or Easter eggs are hidden for children to find. Real hard-boiled eggs, which are typically dyed or painted, artificial eggs made of plastic filled with chocolate or candies, or foil- ...
and found 72,731 hidden eggs throughout the campsite and ended in an arrangement of the 75th logo. The failed knotting competition was retried later in the Hong Kong Scout Millennium Jamboree.
![Mongolian Scouts sang in Metropolitan Jamboree](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Mongolian_Scouts_sang_in_Metropolitan_Jamboree.jpg)
During the
Millennium
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
changeover, the Hong Kong Scout Millennium Jamboree (跨世紀大露營) was held in
Wan Tsai
Wan Tsai () is a peninsula at the northern extremity of the north-western Sai Kung Peninsula, Hong Kong, with Hoi Ha Wan to its west and Long Harbour on its east. Grass Island lies east of the peninsula.
Geography
Joined to the mainland by a ...
from 28 December 1999 to 2 January 2000 with the theme ''Live the Natural Way'' (邁向新紀元,同享大自然), fourteen years after the previous jamboree. There were 3350 participants in the jamboree. The
Chief Scout A Chief Scout is the principal or head scout for an organization such as the military, colonial administration or expedition or a talent scout in performing, entertainment or creative arts, particularly sport. In sport, a Chief Scout can be the prin ...
Tung Chee-hwa
Tung Chee-hwa (; born 7 July 1937) is a Hong Kong businessman and politician who served as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong between 1997 and 2005, upon the transfer of sovereignty on 1 July. He is currently a vice-chairman of the Chin ...
, the
Chief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is the representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and head of the Government of Hong Kong. The position was created to replace the office of governor of ...
, joined the open ceremony on 30 December. To complete the failed knotting competition of the previous jamboree, the Chief Scout began the first
reef knot
The reef knot, or square knot, is an ancient and simple binding knot used to secure a rope or line around an object. It is sometimes also referred to as a Hercules knot. The knot is formed by tying a left-handed overhand knot between two ends, ...
s and the rest of the campers tied 4500 reef knots in 5 minutes, chaining in 6858 metres long.
Two years later, in 2001, the association held the 90th Anniversary of Hong Kong Scouting Jamboree (香港童軍90週年紀念大露營) again in Wan Tsai from 23 to 26 December 2001. ''Do My Best'' (竭盡所能) was the theme. Local Scouts, with nine other overseas Scout contingents, tolled 3500 participants in the jamboree.
In celebrating the 95th anniversary of Hong Kong Scouting in 2006 and the 100th anniversary of World Scouting, the Metropolitan Jamboree (大都會露營) was held in the proposed
West Kowloon Cultural District
The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) is a large arts development in Hong Kong. Based on a Foster and Partners master plan and comprising , the district will eventually include 17 venues. The Xiqu Centre for Chinese opera, the Freespace c ...
site near
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui, often abbreviated as TST, is an list of areas of Hong Kong, urban area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hu ...
in urban Hong Kong from 27 December 2006 to 1 January 2007. Near the
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour in Hong Kong separating Hong Kong Island in the south from the Kowloon Peninsula to the north. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on South China Sea were instrumental i ...
, it was the first time a jamboree was hosted in urban Hong Kong. Under the theme ''Gifts for Peace'' (和平獻禮), there were 4225 participants with 600 from
mainland China
"Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
, Republic of China (Taiwan) and overseas. Many outreaching activities visiting various parts and public facilities in Hong Kong. Other NGOs, like
Hong Kong Red Cross
The Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC, ) is the national Red Cross society of Hong Kong as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Its head office is in West Kowloon.
It was established officially on 12 July 1950 as a branch of ...
and
Oxfam
Oxfam is a British-founded confederation of 21 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International.
History
Founded at 17 Broad Street, Oxford, as the Oxford Co ...
were invited introducing their works to Scouts through stall games.
Herman Hui
Hui Chung-shing ( Chinese: 許宗盛), BBS, MH, JP (born 1951), anglicised as Herman Hui, is a former chairman of the World Scout Committee, the executive board for the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 2005 to 2008.
He is a Hong ...
, the chairman of
World Scout Committee
The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...
joined the countdown to 2007 jointly held by the association and
Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) is the public broadcasting service in Hong Kong. GOW, the predecessor to RTHK, was established in 1928 as the first broadcasting service in Hong Kong. As a government department under the Commerce and Econo ...
. The campsite suffered from strong gusts, damaging a main gate of pioneering damaged and hurting one participant and one worker. During the summer, coinciding with the international events, the Join-in-Centenary Jamboree () in Hong Kong was held on
High Island Reservoir
The High Island Reservoir, located in the far south eastern part of the Sai Kung Peninsula, was opened in 1978 helping to alleviate water scarcity, water shortage problems in Hong Kong. Its water capacity is approximately 273 million cubic ...
on
Sai Kung Peninsula
The Sai Kung Peninsula () is a peninsula in the easternmost part of the New Territories in Hong Kong. Its name comes from Sai Kung Town in the central southern area of the peninsula. The southern part of the peninsula is administrated by Sai ...
from 29 July to 2 August 2007.
Leader's Mess Night
Leader's Mess Night (童軍領袖聚餐) is the annual dining event for leaders, commissioners and lay members. The
mess night
Dining in is a formal military ceremony for members of a Company (military unit), company or other Military organization, unit, which includes a dinner, drinking, and other events to foster camaraderie and ''Morale, esprit de corps''.
The Unite ...
is usually held in the Hong Kong Scout Centre around 22 February, i.e., the Founder's Day. Participants are required to dress in
mess dress
Mess dress uniform is the most formal (or semi-formal, depending on the country) type of uniforms used by military personnel, police personnel, and other uniformed services members. It frequently consists of a mess jacket, trousers, white d ...
. The Chief Commissioner, together with an honourable guest, presides over the mess night.
Carlton Trophy
Carlton Trophy (嘉爾頓錦標賽), named after the late Carlton W. Tinn, former Deputy Colony Commissioner, is a bi-annual patrol-based competition in the Scout section. Representative patrols from different groups compete on the district and regional level before they can advance to the final competition, which usually consists of camping, pioneering, first aid, backwoods cooking, hiking/orienteering. The Carlton Trophy is considered the highest level skill competition in the Scout section in Hong Kong Scouting. Each year's champion patrol is awarded the trophy colors in the Hong Kong Scout Rally by the Chief Scout of Hong Kong.
;Recent winners
See also
*
Hong Kong Girl Guides Association
Hong Kong Girl Guides Association () is the sole Guide organisation in Hong Kong. It was formally established in 1919 though the first Girl Guides Company was formed in 1916. The association became a full member of the World Association of Girl G ...
*
List of World Organization of the Scout Movement members
Since its conception in 1907, the Scouting movement has spread from the United Kingdom to 216 countries and territories around the world. There are over 54 million Scouts worldwide, with 173 national organizations governed by the World Organizat ...
*
Scout Association of Macau
The Associação de Escoteiros de Macau (''Scout Association of Macau'', ) is the national Scouting association in Macau, China. It is an Associate Member of the Asia-Pacific Scout Region (World Organization of the Scout Movement), Asia-Pacific Re ...
*
World Buddhist Scout Brotherhood
The World Buddhist Scout Council (WSBC) formerly the World Buddhist Scout Brotherhood until 2009 is an autonomous, international body committed to promoting and supporting Buddhism within Scouting. The WBSB began as a means to facilitate religio ...
*
Old District Office North
The Old District Office North, or the Law Ting Pong Scout Centre, is a building located at 20 Wan Tau Kok Lane, Tai Po in the New Territories of Hong Kong, near the Old Tai Po Police Station.
Notes
References
External links
Official website of the Scout Association of Hong KongOfficial website of the Gilwell CampsiteHistory of Hong Kong Island Region (in Chinese)
{{Authority control
World Organization of the Scout Movement member organizations
Scouting and Guiding in Hong Kong
Youth organizations established in 1915