GABORONE - Kgosi Keabetswe Dihutso of Mogoditshane says he is happy to have learnt that environment is part of the Botswana Scout Associations calendar of events.

Speaking at the opening of the Botswana Scout Association annual council meeting in Gaborone on Saturday, Kgosi Dihutso said this was key in nurturing good citizens.

He said since the scouting movement was initiated, young people have been learning from nature and taking positive action in relation to their local and global environment.

The kgosi said there are more environmental challenges today than when scouting movement began making it even more important to keep the environment central to scouting in order to build on the momentum already established and to make scouting a positive force for change.

He urged the scouts to respond to environmental hazards and natural disasters in a positive manner.

Kgosi Dihutso said the Botswana Scouts Association continues to take part in national activities such as the Month of Youth against AIDS, Day of the African Child and the independence anniversary celebrations.

The association also participates in international scouting activities.

It is indeed a good gesture to see scouts all over the world working together and at the same time engaged in educational programmes to make informed choices that reflect on the scouts promise and law.

Kgosi Dihutso also commended the Botswana Scout Association for its involvement in climate change activities.

He said during the first week of December in 2008, the Botswana Rover Scouts gathered at Dukwi in the North East District to deliberate on issues of climate change whose theme was Scouting Towards Climate Change. He said during that gathering, scouts were sensitised on how to reduce their contribution towards the climate change by using energy more wisely and understanding how trees can help to reverse the effects of global warming.

Other activities included those of this year in which the Botswana Scouts Association hosted an educational national scout camp which was the first of its kind.

The camp was attended by close top 450 scouts from all parts of the country.

Kgosi Dihutso said this was indeed a great achievement following the 2007 centenary celebrations in the history of Botswana Scouts Association.

In his welcome remarks, the Botswana Scouts Association chief commissioner, Mr Moses Kaisara decried the lack of financial resources as a factor, which hamstrings the activities of the association.

In a vote of thanks, the chief Scout, Mr Kitso Dipholo appealed to all scouts to instill a brotherly spirit within the association.BOPA