The jamboree’s “best badge” inspires friendships
In the international tent, the challenge begins with earning a very special badge at Jamboree Denmark: a friendship badge. According to the guides and scouts working towards the badge, it is an absolutely fantastic challenge.
Inside the international tent, different guide and scout groups sit deeply focused on quizzes, crafty tasks and conversation challenges in their attempt to receive the much sought-after friendship badge, the “Friendship Award”, which many groups are aiming for.
But for the groups, it is not the badge itself that is most attractive. It is the journey towards the badge that really matters. This is what the different groups explain to the jamboree journalist and photographer, who meet them on Wednesday afternoon at the international tent.
It is great getting to know new people – and the theme of the jamboree is precisely that everyone should be part of the shared community with the motto “Connect & Include”. That is exactly what happens when we find new friends,” says Frida, 13. She is a guide and scout in the Knud Rasmussen group from Hundested in the Danish Guide and Scout Association.
Her friend from the same group adds:
It is exciting to hear what it is like in other countries and other groups. That is really why you choose to go to a big jamboree: to get to know new people and experience new things,” says Josephine, who is 13 years old.
Dancing and Laughing Across Borders
Outside the international tent, a group of Belgian scouts stands in a circle. Their red uniforms stand out as they dance a coordinated dance and laugh together. It attracts other scouts, and before you know it, both a Danish Guide and Scout Association group and, shortly after, an English group have joined the circle of dancing, laughing scouts.
One of the eleven tasks (seven if you are under 10 years old) is to do an activity with a scout group of another nationality. Both the Danish Guide and Scout Association group and the Belgian group are aware of this. But the English guides and scouts, who come from Devon in southern England, do not know anything about the badge. They simply jumped in when they saw that something fun was happening, they say.
As Aurora from the Belgian dancing scout group puts it:
he friendship badge is simply the best badge at the jamboree. It motivates us to meet new people, as you can see here,” she says, gesturing towards the still dancing scouts, where there are now also KFUM guides and scouts and some Norwegians who have joined in.
Aurora is from the Van Mosan scout group, which comes from Boncelles in Belgium. Jamboree Denmark 2026 is her first Danish jamboree, and the same goes for Louise, who comes from the same group.
“We are Belgians, and Belgians love meeting people. Many at the jamboree have probably noticed that,” Louise says with a laugh, adding that their red uniforms also make it easy for other scouts to spot them and start a conversation.
