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Ceylona 2024 International Camp

Posted by SLGGA | Created at August 27, 2024 | Updated at August 28, 2024

Ceylona 2024 International Girl Guide Camp, under the theme Explore- Discover- Connect, organized by the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association, was successfully held at Kurunegala Ibbagamuwa Central College from the 18th to the 23rd of August 2024.

The camp had its very own mascot named “Ceylee” along with a camp logo and a special patch.

Ceylona 2024 was a unique opportunity to showcase the values embedded in Girl Guiding to the outside world. The camp was conducted in collaboration with local and global stakeholders, including the United Nations Agencies (UN), emphasizing environmental stewardship and sustainable development goals.

The camp was organized by the International Subcommittee with the guidance of the Chief Commissioner Dr. Kushantha Herath, Deputy Chief Commissioner Mrs. Nirmalee William, Assistant Chief Commissioner Mrs. Naduni Wickramatunga, and International Commissioner Mrs. Nadika Gunasekara.

Over 450 overseas Girl Guides from nine countries, namely Bangladesh Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Oman, South Africa, Singapore, Maldives, and Pakistan, and nearly two thousand five hundred Girl Guides and adult leaders representing every province of Sri Lanka participated in this camp. The Maldives boasted the largest contingent with over 330 Guides.

The Guides were divided into 7 subcamps which brought out the natural elements of Sri Lanka. The subcamps were named as rivers, rainforests, birds, beaches, flowers, waterfalls, and mountains. The overseas contingents were assigned to the subcamp mountains. Each subcamp was further divided into six mini-subcamps which were named after breathtaking landscapes and endemic flora and fauna of Sri Lanka.

There were various activities for the camper to engage in Ceylona 2024 International Camp that encouraged participants' physical, mental, and artistic abilities. There were 8 Activity Zones which included the adventure quest and the aquatic oasis (adventure and water zone), the empowerment trail, (the WAGGGS zone), the sustainasphere (SDG zone), the Craftopia (the Sri Lankan Handicrafts zone), Heritage Haven (the Cultural zone), the Hike zone (hikes to Arankale, Hulangala, Athagala) and the Discovery Gallery (the Exhibition zone).

The camp commenced with a stunning opening ceremony and ended with a heartfelt closing ceremony where affectionate farewells and joyful memories were shared. Fascinating evening events such as the physical display, the cultural night, the campfire, and the international night kept the intervening evenings lively.

The camp was graced by the presence of Ms. Chamathya Fernando. Member of the World Board, Mrs. Chempaka Emeline Pahamin, the Chair, Asia Pacific Region WAGGGS Committee and member of the World Board, Ms. Prathanna Liyanage, Vice-Chair Asia Pacific Region WAGGGS Committee, Ms. Firasha Mohamed, Member Asia Pacific Region WAGGGS Committee, Ms. Himanshi Tomar, Global Programme Coordinator, Surf Smart, WAGGGS, Dato Jeyadhevi Subramaniam, the former Chief Commissioner. Girl Guides Malaysia. The event was further graced by Ms. Sulari Jayawardena, the former Chief Commissioner of SLGGA, and many more distinguished members of the Girl Guide family.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the generous sponsors without whom this event would not have been possible.

Ceylona 2024 concluded by creating an international camp experience for the Girl Guides of Sri Lanka involving a mix of adventure, cultural exchange, education, and outdoor activities. This experience provided the participants with lifelong memories and skills, enriching their understanding of the world and their place in it.

Many happy memories from this camp will be told over the campfire for many years to come.

Happy Ceylona 2024!!