BOSCOREE: The MIND BEHIND

Planning, Preparation and Pursuit of the goals have always been the hallmark of every Scout narrative. The Boscoree is no different. I would like to take you on a journey through the process just so you know, appreciate and possibly imitate some of what went into what is this wonderful 13^th National BOSCOREE. It has not only been a humungous enterprise but an exercise in endurance, expertise and excellence and I am happy to share this journey with you.

PLANNING:

LOGISTICS: Right from the word ‘Go’, the catch word was PLAN RIGHT. The Mumbai Province was given the responsibility to host to 13^th National BOSCOREE during the Team Visit at Chennai in March 2017. We needed to get our act together in just twenty months. Fr. Ian Doulton SDB was appointed as the Camp Chief. Fr. Savio Silveira SDB, Vice Provincial was appointed as the Camp Coordinator. Six BOSCOREE COMMITTEES were then set in place headed by the following: Programme Coordinator (Fr. Glenford Lowe SDB), Venue and Accommodation (Fr. Anthony Fonseca SDB), Food (Fr. Gregory Almeida SDB), Travel and Tourism (Fr. Rolvin D’Mello SDB), Finance (Fr. Manuel Murzello SDB) and Communications (Fr. Leon Cruz Ratinam SDB). Sr. Rita Lobo FMA and Sr. Nilima Rodrigues FMA were appointed to represent the Salesian Sisters.

VENUE: We were aware, that hosting the BOSCOREE in the Mumbai Province would be an added attraction to the young Scouts and Guides from across India. We estimated a total gathering of about 5000 participants in all. There for such a large gathering the Provincial Council finally zeroed in on Nashik as the venue to host the 13^th National BOSCOREE. With two large schools: Don Bosco and Kilbil and 6 communities in the campus with their sprawling grounds and green environs, there was no better place to host the event. Numerous meetings with the Provincial Council and these Communities together with the other Boscoree Committees glued all the logistics in place. We were confident we would be able to welcome the participants to this holy city of Nashik. Our only fear was the biting cold weather during these days!

THEME: The easiest of all was getting a youth-friendly and challenging THEME. As Salesians, we are Educators and Evangelizers. We wanted the entire BOSCOREE be an opportune moment to Educate and Evangelise the ‘Great Commandment of Love”. The Three-Loves - Love of God, Love of Neighbour and Love of Self resonates well in the 3-H formula: HEALTH-HARMONY-HOLINESS. The Theme Song was soon composed with lyrics Fr. Savio Silveira SDB and the catchy music by the famous Louis Banks. Singers Deacon Sunil Pinto, Ms. Archana, and the students of Don Bosco International School - Matunga blended their voices under the Sound Engineer Mr. Neil D’Souza. Dance steps for the song were choreographed by the brothers of Divyadaan, Nashik.

LOGO: The BOSCOREE PROGRAMME COMMITTEE had set out five objectives for the 13^th National Boscoree: To promote a healthy lifestyle, to build harmonious bridges with people and environments, to become noble and holy souls, to radiate the Salesian Charism of St. John Bosco and St. Mary Mazzarello and to give the Scout movement greater visibility in Salesian India. The BOSCOREE logo was designed by a few Salesians along with the assistance of Francis D’Souza from DBYS Matunga, incorporating these five objectives.

FINANCE: Hosting a mega-youth event on such a scale called for a huge budget. The Finance Committee through several meetings garnered contributions from various Provinces, Communities, Individuals, Registration Fees and from Sponsors. Demonetization and GST too played a big role in offsetting the budget. The Mumbai Province had to be generous once again in supporting the BOSCOREE. Registration fees for Institutions and individuals from rural areas were given a 50% concession!

FOOD: Running a hectic scheduled camp, food played an important role to fuel the energy levels of the youngsters. After several meetings with various catering companies, the Food Committee settled for AASHWAD CATERERS. Unlimited food catering both North and South India cuisine would be provided to the participants. Veg, Non-veg and Jain food would be provided over 25 counters across 4 venues to save time.

CAMP SITE AND ACCOMMODATION: The 13^th National BOSCOREE will be remembered for a lot of records. A total of 4564 participants (2067 Scouts, 1547 Guides, 169 Scout Masters, 137 Guide Captains, 111 Salesians, 42 FMAs, 477 Host Province team) from 141 Institutions belonging to 22 Indian States, 2 Union Territories, and 2 Countries will be under 200 tents spread over 16 sub-camps from 30^th December 2018 - 3^rd January 2019! Eight sub-camps have been allotted for 77 Units with Scouts and Guides, three sub-camps have been set aside for 22 Units for exclusively Guide Companies and five sub-camps will accommodate 42 units having Scout Troops. The Venue Committee has taken pains to ensure that the logistics are in place for this grand mega event. All major events of the BOSCOREE will be held on the Fr. Sean McFerran Parade at Divyadaan. This year we commemorate the centenary of the birth of

Fr. Sean McFerran SDB. He was a pioneer and giant stalwart in promoting Scouting in Salesian India. Our thanks to the communities of Nashik for letting us avail of their premises, resources and personnel to host and organize this BOSCOREE.

TRANSPORT and SIGHT SEEING: Nashik is a holy city! The Kumbh Mela is held here every 12 years! Nashik is also the Wine Capital of India! Situated on the banks of the Godavari river and surrounded by hills decked with lush green vineyards, Nashik offers the visitor the famous 1^st Century BCE Buddhist Pandavleni Caves, the Sula Vineyards, the holy Trimbakeshwar temple near the source of the Godavari river, the more recent Muktidham Temple, the Infant Jesus Shrine, the holy Panchavati where it is said Lord Sri Ram and Sita along with Laxman stayed. The Coin Museum is another added attraction, one-of-a-kind in India that displays the evolution of the Indian coinage and currency. The Transport Committee has planned all this for our visitors. Nashik can be reached by rail and by road. Most coming by train from the North of India will find it easy to alight at Nashik Road Station. However, those arriving from the South will take connections from Mumbai, Kalyan or Pune to reach Nashik. The Transport committee has seen to the intricate logistics to receive our visitors at these places and ensure that they have a hassle-free journey to the camp site! Arrangements have also been made in Mumbai to offer sight-seeing possibilities to those units to those who so desire. Our Mumbai school premises have been set aside to accommodate the various troops after the BOSCOREE.

COMMUNICATIONS: What you do at the BOSCOREE will be streamed live across various media platforms with professional photographers and journalists capturing every step, breath and mood of the camp. The rich Indian cultural diversity with colourful dresses, lively songs and dances, traditional exhibits and scout displays will be moments captured. The BOSCOREE Communications Committee have gone through regular meetings to make all this possible. The seven Bimonthly BOSCOREE SYNC magazines have kept participants informed continuously in preparation for a fruitful BOSCOREE.

OFFICIAL LAUNCH at NASHIK: The official launch of the 13^th National BOSCOREE took place at Don Bosco High School and Jr. College, Nashik on 3^rd July 2017. Fr. Godfrey D’Souza SDB, Salesian Provincial of Mumbai Province and Sr. Philomena D’Souza, the FMA representative, presided over the function along with the Camp Chief Fr. Ian Doulton SDB, the Camp Coordinator Fr. Savio Silveira SDB and members of the Boscoree Committees. His Lordship, Bishop Lourdes Daniel of Nashik launched the BOSCOREE with these words:

“You all need to be physically strong. We don’t need a sick society and we don’t need a sick mind and we don’t people who don’t know God. God is the source of life, He is the source of compassion, He is the source of understanding and forgiveness. So, in our corporate society, we need people with strong minds and a great heart.”

Our Guest of Honour, Dr. Ravinder Kumar Singal, Police Commissioner, Nashik spoke to the gathering following the same line of thought: “My dear young people, if the body is free from unnecessary cares, and that your mind is clear - not lured by unnecessary things, and if you are holy and your soul is pure, and your body is physically fit, you will feel like doing something for society and make others feel good.”

The 13^th National BOSCOREE was officially launched. The sudden shower was a welcome sign of heavenly blessings on all that was to come for future preparations.

PROGRAMME COMMITTEE PREPARATIONS:

GREEN BOSCOREE: We were all keen on organising a GREEN BOSCOREE. Thanks to the Maharashtra Government who also came up with the one-time plastic ban. The Programme committee has made every effort to do away with flex banners, plastic cutlery, thermocol decorations etc. Participants were also urged not to carry unnecessary plastic to the camp site. We also have taken note with regard to ‘Noise pollution’. Decibel levels at all programmes on the Sub-Camp levels will be monitored closely too.

EVERYONE A WINNER: Unlike previous Boscorees, this one will be different. More than being a competitive string of events, this BOSCOREE will be a celebration of Scouting and Salesian Charism. Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards will be presented to all participating Units. Every Province will take home a specially designed BOSCOREE souvenir, every institution will have a BOSCOREE Trophy for keeps and every participant will receive a beautiful certificate. A BOSCOREE CAMP KIT will comprise of a jersey, a bag, a BOSCOREE badge, a pen, a scarf, a woggle, a camp book to be treasured by every participant for life!

PROVINCE PARTICIPATION: Due to the large number of Units and the shortage of time, Province are invited to be represented at the Opening March Past ceremony, the Peace March Rally, and the Grand Camp Fire. All important BOSCOREE Documents have been sent to all Provinces and Institutions.

LIVING IN TENTS: The Programme Committee always wished that youngsters be given an opportunity to sleep in tents. 200 brand new tents were ordered from Ahmedabad - Gujarat. The Guides however will sleep in the classrooms provided. Every scout, on the other hand, will be offered an opportunity to spend a night or two in tents. Tough scouts camping at Divyadaan Campus will all sleep in tents!

IN-HOUSE TRAINING: For the past several months, to prepare for the BOSCOREE, our very own Salesian Priests, Sisters and Brothers, novices and pre-novices were subjected to on-the-spot training sessions/camps. Two rigorous Advanced Training Programmes at BGVK - Ahmednagar were organised. Two reputed and highly qualified leader trainers, Amalraj Narayanaswamy, District Commissioner, Don Bosco District, TN and S Raja Sudamani from Chennai consented and trained the SDBs and FMAs. To assist them, there were leader trainers Mr. Qureshi, Mr. Bolar and Ms. Angelina. A third two-day training programme was organised for 76 rovers and rangers from our communities at Lonavla, Nashik, Naigaon, Dakor and Alirajpur. The final training programme which took place for all our Sub-Camp Chiefs and their assistants, our students of Philosophy and Theology and the young Novices from 20^th-21^st October 2018 to run through the entire BOSCOREE schedule under

Mr. Qureshi and Ms. Angelina, proved to be useful and fruitful.

On a more reflective note:

I recently visited one of Hitler’s worst labour Camp at Mauthausen, Austria. Barbaric to the core. Human lives - inspite of ill health and malnutrition - reduced to mere working machines. Mauthausen soon became the saddest icon of the systemic murder of vast number of civilians. What surprised me more, was when I found out, that the third largest group of people executed by the Nazi SS were SCOUTS! Think of the large number of Polish Boy Scouts who were brutally killed by the Nazi during the German invasion of Poland at the start of WWII. Ever heard of Kazimierz Piechowski, arrested by the Nazis for being a Scout? He managed to escape from the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, then jailed for seven years by the Russians. His famous words, “I will be a Scout to the end of my life.” He died at the age of 98 on December 15, 2017. Hitler’s nuclear plant at Norway was destroyed in ‘Operation Gunnerside’ by well-trained Scouts! Scouts have always been true to their Scout Promise and Scout Laws, even when faced with imminent death or torture.

That is the stock from which we come…we’re proud to be the bearers of such a heritage and I hope we can live this calling of ours not just through these five days but from then onwards!

So, BOSCOREE here we come to experience HEALTH-HARMONY-HOLINESS in true Salesian and Scouting Style! 13 has often been associated with failure and ill luck, but this 13^th National BOSCOREE will always be remembered as a fruitful mega gathering to celebrate our Culture, Traditions and Talents!

By­­

Fr. Glenford Lowe SDB

BOSCOREE Programme Coordinator