21st World Scout Jamboree

World Scout Jamboree in 2007

The 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in July and August 2007, and formed a part of the Scouting 2007 Centenary celebrations of the world Scout Movement. The event was hosted by the United Kingdom, as 2007 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Scouting on Brownsea Island. The event was held for 12 days between 27 July and 8 August, in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex. This site was selected because of the easy access to air and sea transport, and it is also near Gilwell Park, an important campsite and training centre for Scout Leaders. Over 38,000 Scouts and leaders from 158 countries which have a recognised National Scout Organization (recognition is conferred by membership in the World Organization of the Scout Movement) camped for the event, while over 50,000 others attended for day visits. There were also over 8600 members of the International Service Team who also came from all over the world.

The event was open to all members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) who were between the ages of 14 and 17 at the start of the Jamboree on July 27, 2007. Members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) may have participated if the respective national WOSM member organization agreed. People who wished to attend must have been selected by their respective Scouting associations. Adults were able to participate in support roles as members of the International Service Team, National Contingent Support Teams, Troop Leaders, National Representatives, Off Site Program Workers, or members of the Build Team. Day visitors of all ages were also welcomed to the event. However, the dates and the areas on which day visitors were able to visit were restricted to maintain park capacity limits. The event was the second largest ever Jamboree held with 38,074 participants and IST attending, but with more countries than ever before., and more than 42,000 day visitors. The 3rd 'Coming of Age' Jamboree in 1929 was the largest held, with 50,000 participants.

Each Jamboree has a theme, and the 2007 Jamboree's is "One World, One Promise". This motto is incorporated on the Centenary badge and is available in the local language of all Scouting organisations who are members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. This motto is also included in the lyrics of the Jambo Song

Between midnight on Thursday 26 and midnight on Friday 27 one coach arrived at Hylands Park every two minutes on average. One roll of toilet paper was used up every minute.

Preparations for the event have included a smaller scale Jamboree, EuroJam 2005, where 12,000 Scouts, from across Europe, camped in the same location. This dry run allowed the planners of the Jamboree to test a number of aspects of the event, including the control of the massive influx of the contingents into the area. The food and supplies for the EuroJam event also set a world record for the largest single internet order to a supermarket, with deliveries being made in large articulated trucks. Scouts Shops Ltd, responsible for sourcing much of the equipment for the 21st World Jamboree, reported that the cost of steel on the world market increased as a result of the Jamboree placing its order.

The International Service Team (IST) were Scouts aged 18 and above who help to build large scale Scouting events, the most notable being World Scout Jamborees. They arrived one week before the beginning of the actual event for preparation. There were over 8,600 members of the IST at the 21st World Scout Jamboree, and they helped to build, run, take down and maintain the events, activities and services on the Jamboree site. The IST were split into two main sections, with four sub sections, depending on their interests and qualifications:
On Site IST looked after on site services, events and activities. Off Site IST looked after Splash!, the water activities day, Gilwell Adventure, activities at the home of Scouting, and Starburst, the community projects day. Including water, gas and electricity, the IST built and maintained the fifth largest city in Essex from a park in under a month.

The entire UK contingent arrived one day before the rest of the world, and had a party on the Tropical Hub stage with performances from Liberty X and Lemar, along with Radio 1 DJ Jason King and CBBC TV presenter Anne Foy. Peter Duncan, UK Chief Scout, was also on the stage.

After the Jamboree closed, it was revealed that thirteen Scouts had been reported missing to the British Police. All the organisations involved maintain there has been no crime committed, as all the Scouts had visas, and were only concerned for the Scouts' safety. Concerns were raised by local people in Chelmsford after Hylands Park hosted the Jamboree and V Festival 2007 just a week apart, causing disruption to local roads and exacerbating the negative effects on the park found after hosting the annual music festival.