Scout's 36th anniversary next week

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno will lead the 36th anniversary ceremony of the Indonesian Scout Movement (Pramuka) in Purworejo, Central Java, on Thursday.

Pramuka chairman Himawan Sutanto said the theme of this year's anniversary is "Gearing Pramuka towards the 21st Century".

There will also be a series of exhibitions on development and art performances by Pramuka members from all parts of Indonesia.

Some 3,120 participants will take part in the anniversary, Himawan said.

Special awards will be given to 18 provincial governors for their dedication to the movement in their regions, he added.

Himawan said Pramuka appeared to be losing appeal among senior high school students, but not among primary and junior high school students and university students.

"Possibly, senior high school students have too many extracurricular activities that prevent them from joining Pramuka," he said.

The highlight of this year's anniversary is the annual camping event by Pramuka members in Purworejo, a spokesman for the movement, Nurman Armasulistya, told The Jakarta Post.

The camping event from Aug. 14 to Aug. 19, involving 1,760 members, will encourage participants to pay greater attention towards the agribusiness sector, Nurman said.

Many young people are now drawn towards the industry because of the lure of cash, he said.

Young people should be made to realize the importance of the agriculture sector to the nation, he said. (09)