On the evening of Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the opening ceremony of the Homenetmen Intercontinental Jamboree took place at the Homentmen Tecuya campsite. The Intercontinental Jamboree was organized by the Homenetmen Central Executive Committee and hosted by the Homenetmen Western United States Regional Executive. This unprecedented jamboree brought together scouts from the Americas, Argentina, Canada, and Australia.
With the direction of H.E. Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Untied States, who is currently in Lebanon, Rev. Fr. Movses Shannakian represented the Prelate at the opening ceremony. On behalf of the Prelate, Rev. Fr. Shannakian offered prayers and conducted the traditional bread and salt blessing ceremony. He then read H.E. Archbishop Khacherian’s message, which welcomed and blessed the organizers, committees, and individuals involved in organizing the Jamboree, as well as the participating athletes, scouts, and group leaders. The Prelate’s message mentioned, “Though you have come here from different continents, you were all raised under Homenetmen’s same honorable motto. You act with unity and a shared spirit of patriotism. Your common goal is to grow and develop yourselves and to contribute to collective elevation and advancement of the Armenian people, always guided by the principle of Homenetmen, ‘Rise and Raise.’”
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Rev. Fr. Movses Shannakian also blessed and presented the “St. Mesrob Mashdots” Religious Medal to the Ari and Arenoush scouts who had completed Homenetmen’s religious education course.
This religious educational course is a key area of collaboration between the Western Prelacy and Homenetmen, designed to support the spiritual and educational development of scouts. Through the program, participants are introduced to the history and liturgical traditions of the Armenian Church and gain a deeper understanding of Armenian religious, national, and cultural traditions.
