Secretary General of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement Scott Teare, the Chairman of the World Scout Committee Simon Hang-Bock Rhee  Asia Pacific Region Chairman Dr.Chao Shou- Po, Sri Lanka Scouts Association Chief Commissioner Prof.Nimal de Silva were among those present at Temple Trees.

The Asia Pacific Scouts Leaders  Summit 2014 was declared open by the Prime Minister D.M.Jayarathna at Goldi Sands Hotel Ethukala,Negombo on Saturday.

The 8th Asia Pacific Regional Scout Leaders’ International Summit with the participation of around 200 delegates from  30 countries will conclude on 29 April  .

The top leaders of the Asia Pacific region will within the four days discuss and decide on the direction, focus, action, vision and mission of the movement in the region in catering to 30 million members in the 26 countries.

The World Organisation of the Scout Movement is the largest youth movement with a membership of over 36 million boys and girls. At present, there are 165 member countries and over 40 countries engaged in scouting without full status membership. The World Scout Organisation is divided into six regions, the largest being the Asia Pacific region with 26 countries and a membership of 30 million scouts. The Sri Lanka Scout Association is a member of the Asia Pacific region.

Scouting was introduced in Sri Lanka in 1912 by late F.G. Stevens. There are over 45,000 scouts in the country.

The Sri Lanka Scout Association is hosting and organising this summit under the guidance of the World Scout Organisation’s Asia Pacific Regional office.

Scouting, being part of non-formal education, helps young people build character, combined with skills for which they are trained in through the scout program in order to produce useful and worthy citizens. In Sri Lanka, scouting has contributed greatly, by way of personality development.