Youth Camp

Symposium @ Winter Camping

Maherin Ahmed

Tuning to nature and harmonising with the orchestra—this is how 'learning outside the classrooms' enthral students and teachers nowadays. Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) organised their week long 12th national youth camp last December. This camp brought together 1680 campers (students from schools, colleges, universities and madrasas), 94 teachers across 63 districts in Bangladesh. This year the camp nestled in Chittagong, an ideal city to discuss how to fusion development while preserving greeneries for the world. Hence, the theme 'Save Green for the World' aimed to trigger curiosity for preserving nature. This camp harboured a practical learning environment on a wide range of topics including first aid, conducting search and rescues in emergency times, youth acting as agents of behavioural change, and raising climate change awareness. There were also sessions on introducing of Red Cross Red Crescent movement: its history and emblem usages.

When asked about the preparation of this camp, H M Salauddin, the camp marshal and a volunteer of Red Crescent for 25 years, shared, “This camp is a long cherished dream come true! It is a dream that was born in 1992. We have been waiting for having this national camp in Chittagong and I can't really express how good it feels to witness it coming to reality. These 1900 youth here are from 1900 families belonging to difference economic stratas. This is a chance for them to live under the same tent and lead the same lifestyle.”

Runen Das, a 24 year old camper, shared, “I have always dreamt of serving people. This camp taught me exactly how to do so. This national camp is such a blessing! Now I have the energy and inspiration to become a volunteer to serve the humanity. The friendships that I have built here is another component that I am enjoying so much. I think I could make friends so easily here because of my change in attitude. I already realised that I have become a much more humble person. I feel the spark inside me that I am an agent of change, and I am committed to making changes for the better.”

Another camper shared how he is going to cherish the experience gathered through this camp in the upcoming days. “I was helping my sub camp marshal with food distribution. Then we realised that we do not have food for ourselves! My team could not eat proper breakfast. Just then, two members of another sub camp shared their breads. Those are the most delicious breads I have ever had,'' says the camper.

This national camp was a common thread of weaving through the tapestry of ideas; presented and shared by students and teachers. It generated a trait of curiosity, some questioning and observant minds. Along with blossoming new friendships, it opened a whole new string of windows for sharing, caring, and cooperation. The beauty of this camp was that it was completely conceptualised, organised, managed and lead by the youth. Youth in Bangladesh are empowered: they just have in them all that it takes to move forward and also to pass to the next generation. BDRCS's 12th national camp was of the youth, by the youth, and for the youth.

DID YOU KNOW?

Vitaly Scherbo

Vitaly Venediktovich Scherbo, born on January 13, 1972 (turning 41 today), was introduced to gymnastics at age 7 by his mother. The coaches at his local club arranged for him to be sent to a state boarding school for young athletes. There he continued to delight and infuriate his tutors in equal measure, making huge progress as a gymnast but refusing to submit to any discipline. His first international performances were in 1990–1991, when he competed for the USSR team at the World Championship and the World Cup. He was theInformation 1991 World All-Around silver medalist behind teammate Grigori Misutin; scored a perfect 10.0 on the vault at the European Championships in 1990; and starred at the Goodwill Games in Seattle. He had occasional bouts of inconsistency and as the 1992 Barcelona Olympics approached, the Unified Team coaches regarded him as less of a medal prospect than his more experienced and reliable teammates. In one of the most dominant performances in history, Scherbo won six out of the possible eight awarded gold medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. His golds came in the team event, the all around, pommel horse (tie), rings, vault, and parallel bars. Only Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz have ever won more golds in a single Games, and only Phelps and Eric Heiden have won as many individual gold medals (five) at a single Games.

Source: Internet