We at the Kajo organization believe that next summer thousands of scouts and guides will get to experience the Finnjamboree as planned.
Scouting is not a remote activity, but something that is done as a community. And with a large community such as at Kajo, unique experiences and events are a given. Finnjamborees, such as any large camps, are the places where memories are made and friendships formed and renewed as we keep joining year after year. Covid has been hard on us all, but especially for the youth – which is why there is a need for such an event now more than ever. We can not predict how the virus moves, but we can all affect how it will impact us by following the regulations and staying safe. Together we can strive to do our best to make sure that the long-awaited camp will be held this summer!
Fortunately, we have three things aiding us along. First of all, Kajo is an outdoor event, making it safer from the start. Secondly, the virus has been toning down during the summer months. And thirdly the vaccination coverage is increasing constantly. Therefore we believe strongly that Kajo will be held.
The spreading of the Omicron variant has raised concerns and questions among the community and therefore we have collected the answers to the most commonly asked questions below.
Can the registration be extended? Unfortunately, the registration date is already the latest possible for the camp organization to have adequate time to finalize the planning. The number of people attending affects not only the program and timetables but also the multiple outside suppliers – making it impossible to extend the registration period. Even by postponing the registration by a month or so we would still not have any definite information on the health security situation for the summer.
What part of the camp fee will be refunded, if Kajo is to be canceled? We understand that this issue is on the minds of many still pondering their registration. The answer depends on when the camp should be canceled. With many of our suppliers, we have been fortunate enough to agree to terms that allow us to fully commit very close to the actual event.
Covid can not dictate our lives indefinitely. For two summers already our lives have been interfered with due to restrictions. That is why we are moving forward as planned, doing things halfway would mean giving into Covid.
In short, the closer we get to the actual event the more agreements and costs will be confirmed but also the likeliness of the cancellation will get smaller as we get closer to the event. We are determined to have the camp as planned unless the regulations forbid it.
With all the commitments we are making previously, currently and in the future we strive to agree on terms that will allow us to refund the majority of the fee to the participants. At the moment, no current restrictions prevent us from having the camp as planned. We as the camp organization along with the Finnish Scouts are constantly following the situation together with the public officers.
Will a Covid passport be required at Kajo? The board of the Finnish Scouts has agreed that everyone over the age of 16 will be required to have a valid Covid passport if it will be applicable at the time of the event. Kajo organizers encourage everyone, if possible to do so, to get the vaccines. Please research the requirements for a Covid pass from your country of origin as they may differ.
When should I register for the camp? The registration for Kajo, for Finnish and International Participants alike, is now open and will be so until 2.2.2022.
Please note that we have a participant limit of 2000 for International Participants. Those groups that registered during pre-registration last July have guaranteed spots, and the rest will be filled in the order of registration. But not to worry! In the pre-registration the limit was only half-filled, so we are happy to welcome approximately 1000 new participants. We just wanted to let you know this just in case a lot more people around the world get very excited about Kajo before the registration ends. We will send you the final confirmation of your registration after the registration period.
Traveling to Finland
For International Participants there are a few key sites to look at when deciding whether it will be possible to come, and when preparing for the travel. These pages provide up-to-date information on restrictions and requirements for traveling to Finland:
- Finnish government, about entry restrictions
- The Finnish border guard, guidelines for border traffic
- Finnish institute of Health and Welfare, latest updates on traveling during Covid-19
- Finnish institute of Health and Welfare, on accepted vaccinations
With Kajo-like regards,
Camp leaders Kerttu and Janne
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at international.kajo2022@partio.fi.
