Fathmath Fazeela - Participant of SAF-Scout Friendship Camps in Bhutan

Back
Testimony 7th July 2008

Ms Fathmath Fazeela was a participant from the Maldives to the first SAF Scout friendship camp in Bhutan 2002. We had the fortune to meet Fazeela once more by coincidence in Paris in May 2008 while she was studying for a Masters in Education with the UNESCO IIEP (International Institute for Educational Planning)

- - -

Fathmath Fazeela
Participant from the Maldives
SAF-Scout Friendship Camps in Bhutan
21st - 26th February 2002

I was one of ten participants from the Maldives who had the privilege of attending the first SAF-Scout Friendship Camp at Thimpu, Bhutan in 2002. Not only was it totally different from any scout camp that I have ever been to, but the environment was also completely different from my home life. It was fascinating, with new surroundings and new people. The view of the mountain, the green fields, the hiking, all these were new for me, which made the trip all the more exciting.

  

Each day brought a new experience as we integrated with scouts from other countries. We were all in mixed groups and hearing the other scouts talk about their own perceptions was really engaging. This was my first opportunity to meet with other scouts from different countries and it was really amazing to find that no cultural, religious or political barriers were noticeable throughout the camp. We were all friends – more specifically, brother and sister scouts.

It was remarkable to see the different arts and crafts and traditional activities from other countries, and the performances given by other scouts were outstanding. We were all so eager to get to know each other well and to learn as much as we could about each other’s countries. We got to spend a lot of time with other scouts doing lots of exciting outdoor activities, such as hiking, as well as more intimate activities such as discussion groups, all of which allowed us to build up an extraordinary sense of friendship and solidarity.
The ending of such an event is always the saddest part; however, I came back to my country with cherished memories that I will treasure forever. I had never before experienced anything like the Scout Friendship Camp. It was a unique opportunity for me and I was honoured to be part of it.