World Scouts come to Wollongong
Published Mon 08 Jul 2024
The Nan Tien Temple played host to more than 130 youth members and Leaders from around the world for the 8th BLIA Scout World Camp.
The gathering welcomed BLIA (Buddha’s Light International Association) Scouts from NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia as well as Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Los Angeles, Toronto and Vancouver to Wollongong for connection, fun activities and reflection.
BLIA Sydney – Kogarah Scout Group Leader-in-Charge Jing Fang said the camp also included the inaugural BLIA World Leader’s Consensus Conference.
“BLIA Scouts was first established in New York almost 29 years ago,” she said. “It was established in Australia in late 2017. During conference we also had Leaders connect online from the UK, Brazil, Japan and the US.”
Over the two days of the conference, more than 100 Scout Leaders and representatives gathered to share wisdom, pass on experiences and explore the core values of Buddha’s Light Scouts.
The four days of World Camp that followed were packed with activities and opportunities for the youth members to come together as one big family.
“We had so many activities – ice breaking games, campfire, stargazing, First Nations activities for NAIDOC Week, an Eco Temple Tour relating to the Sustainable Development Goals, a trip to Taronga Zoo and a night of yarns, skits and performances from six Patrols,” Jing said.
“Most of the youth loved day four, which focused on OAS (Outdoor Adventure Skills) activities. They did pioneering, Challenge Valley, bushcraft, navigation, archery and rock climbing.”
While the weather was less than ideal – rain forced activities inside for the first two nights – the youth enjoyed singing, dancing and enjoying each other’s company. A ceremony was also held to reflect on the core values of Buddha’s Light: Three Acts of Goodness, Four Givings, and Five Harmonies.
Many memories, shared experiences and global friendships were created amongst the youth members who attended the camp, with those who travelled leaving with many stories to share.
