The North Macedonia Scout Camp Was Held with the Support of TİKA

The “International Summer North Macedonia Scout Camp” was held in the city of Ohrid in North Macedonia in cooperation with the Scouting Federations of Turkey and North Macedonia and the Kalkan Scouting Club with the contributions of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).

The 11^th “International Summer North Macedonia Scout Camp” was held in the city of Ohrid in North Macedonia in cooperation with the Scouting Federations of Turkey and North Macedonia and the Kalkan Scouting Club with the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA). A total of 400 scouts from Turkey, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia (Sandžak), and Bosnia and Herzegovina attended the opening ceremony of the event, which was held from July 4 to 9, 2021.

In the opening ceremony attended by Halim Ömer Söğüt, TİKA’s Skopje Coordinator; Hasan Subaşı, President of the Scouting Federation of Turkey; representatives of the Scouting Federations of Turkey and North Macedonia; Hüsrev Emin, Chairman of MATÜSİTEB; and representatives of various Turkish organizations and institutions in North Macedonia; it was stressed that the camp, which has been continuously supported by TİKA for 11 years, brought together young people of different languages and cultures in the Balkans, improving the solidarity and unity among them.

Halim Ömer Söğüt stated that TİKA has implemented various projects in North Macedonia, as well as all over the world, in order to provide a better future for children and young people. He noted that scouting aimed to preserve and develop the nature and to enable individuals to survive with their own means and skills. Söğüt also stressed that many activities, including school construction projects and conferences etc., have been carried out in North Macedonia so far to improve the educational conditions, which directly concern children and young people. He said, “We have always prioritized children and young people in our health projects. The projects and activities we have supported are the greatest indicators of this prioritization.”

In his speech, Hasan Subaşı, President of the Scouting Federation of Turkey, said, “The hardest you pull the arrow, the farthest it goes. We are all feeling pretty tense due to this pandemic; therefore, I hope that we will be shooting the arrow that goes farthest into unity and solidarity. Hopefully, our unity and solidarity with our amazing brothers and sisters in our geography of affection will improve.”

In his speech, Cengiz Destan, President of the Kalkan Association, stated that they held the event with the same enthusiasm every year, and said, “Unfortunately, the pandemic has separated us for a year. We are happy and thankful to God that this international event will be held in North Macedonia with the support of TİKA after this separation.”

The ceremony continued with the presentation of plaques by the Kalkan Scouting Club to the guests and media representatives who participated in the event, and ended with a show and a concert.