Kathmandu, September 5

The five-day long 12th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) ended last week after electing a new working committee under the chairmanship of Marybelle Demot-Marinas from the Philippines.

Demot-Marinas is the leader of the Philippine’s girls scout.

The regional conference that kicked off in Kathmandu on August 29 ended on September 2 by electing a six-member executive committee. The tenure of this new committee will be of three years.

According to Chief Commissioner at Nepal Scout Robin Dahal, Thanyaporn Krichtitayawuth from Thailand was elected as the committee’s new vice-president while the members included Myoung Ock Ahn from Korea, Meghana Shankar Belavadi from India, Sui Lan Winnie She Tsui from Hongkong and Minori Yuda from Japan. Chempaka Emalin Pahamin from Malaysia was elected as an alternate member.

This was the first time that Nepal had hosted the regional conference of WAGGGS. Around 250 participants from 26 countries in the region, observers from the US and other countries participated in the programme.

During the regional conference, participants discussed ways to develop leadership among adolescents and youths. They also discussed WAGGGS’s achievements till date and made future plans.

While speaking at the closing ceremony of the regional conference on September 2, Minister for Youth and Sports Daljit BK Sripaili said that organising the conference in Nepal had enhanced the capacity of Nepal Scout and girl guides. He also expressed gratitude to Asia Pacific Regional Committee for supporting Nepal Scouts to organise the programme in Nepal.

On the occasion, Chief Commissioner of Nepal Scout Dahal and Joint Chief Commissioner Manju Aryal handed over the flag of WAGGGS to representatives of Sri Lanka’s Girl Guide, host country for the next conference.

The 13th Asia Pacific Regional Conference will be held in Sri Lanka in 2019.