Last day at the World Jamboree

The 21st World Scout Jamboree concludes today, but not before a spectacular closing arena show this evening. Scouts are busy bartering for their final patch and uniform trades before packing up their gear to leave the campsite in Hylands Park, Essex, England.

The opening arena show featured a patchwork quilt of uniform colors representing the 168 countries in attendance. The crowd for the closing show will look more like multicolored confetti, since many Scouts have traded shirts with participants from other countries. The “One World, One Promise” jamboree theme unifies the 38,000 participants in the brotherhood of Scouting. A tremendous fireworks display will cap the closing ceremonies for a jamboree that celebrated the 100th anniversary of Scouting’s founding by Robert Baden-Powell.

BSA Scouts and Venturers will get little rest following the show. The troops begin staggered departures by bus beginning at 3 a.m., Wednesday morning. Participants from the Southern and Northeast Regions will head to Heathrow and Gatwick Airports near London for flights home. Those from the Western and Central Region will begin 2 days of touring London landmarks before their flights home.

Scott Daniels is the managing editor Scouting magazine. He is submitting a daily blog post from the 21st World Scout Jamboree, Hylands Park, Essex, England.