Making a splash in Portugal at the 16th World Scout Moot

World Scout Moots take place every four years, with a different host country each time. They’re a chance for Scouts aged 18 to 25 to build friendships and share cultures.

Those who took part from the UK were from our Scout Network. We also had some amazing volunteers aged 25+ attending as International Service Team members, plus a small Contingent Management Team.

After two years of planning, preparing and fundraising our UK Pod (proudly sporting our dolphin logo) was ready to dive into Portugal.

Setting off

On 24 July, our participants departed from a range of UK airports to start their adventure in Lisbon. The opening ceremony took place at Parque Tejo, a stunning location with a view of the Vasco da Gama Bridge, the second longest bridge in Europe.

As soon as the ceremony finished, they travelled to one of 120 paths across Portugal, including on the Madria and Azure isles. On their paths, they camped and cooked in international patrols with Scouts from around the world, creating unique friendships while exploring the local area.

The paths had different themes from adventure to culture, spirituality to society, with a unique, locally planned programme to take part in.

Heading to the main camp

After five days on the paths, it was time to start the next chapter of the adventure. Participants travelled by bus and train across Portugal to the stunning main camp in Cortegaça, Ovar. Still camping with their paths, a packed programme of cultural and adventurous activities was available.

There was also a chance to explore the local area and take part in evening entertainment. International Night was a highlight, giving each country the opportunity to showcase their country; including a fantastic ceilidh led by our Scottish participants.

Helping hands

Throughout the Moot, our dedicated International Service Team members helped make the event happen.

Taking on a range of roles from building the main camp to catering and safety, helping run paths and programme; they made a huge difference to young people from all over the world. They also learned new skills, made friends and explored Portugal.

A grand finale

The fun didn’t stop there. The final day of the official programme was 3 August when participants packed their tents early and headed into Porto for a day of exploration and sightseeing. The Moot was then rounded off with a stunning closing ceremony celebrating the journey we’d all been on.

At this point, some of our UK Contingent members headed home, but for others the adventure continued with a post event experience in Madrid. From walking tours to visiting the royal palace, flamenco shows to a special celebration evening, it was the perfect way to round off our time together.

Lasting memories

It was a truly magical few weeks of Scouts, with so many new memories unlocked and friendships created. The Moot will stay in our participants our hearts and minds for a long time to come. We know they’ll go on to take part or lead some amazing international experiences in the future, including the next World Scout Moot in Taiwan in 2029.