Homenetmen Inter-Chapter Jamborees
The Homenetmen Inter-Chapter Jamborees are smaller and simpler versions of the General Pan-Homenetmen Jamborees. The first inter-chapter jamboree was organized in Kalamos, Greece in 1978, four years after the organization adopted its current global structure.
Inter-Chapter Jamborees have their own history.
The first and only inter-chapter jamboree organized in the birthplace of Homenetmen took place from September 8 to 11, 1922, in Beuyukdere, a suburb of Constantinople. It brought together scouts from Armenian orphanages in the city and seven Homenetmen chapters, including Pera, Karageozian, Beylerbeyi, Sgudar, Makri village, Orta village, and Beshiktash.
The Jamboree’s General Chief scout was Yeghpayr Arshag Hagopian. Mr. Berry, a representative of Lord Baden Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement, visited the campers.
After Homenetmen’s activities in Constantinople ceased, the Regional Committee of Homenetmen in the Middle East organized eight Inter-Chapter Jamborees from 1944 to 1955.
The first Homenetmen Inter-chapter Jamboree was held from August 20 to September 3, 1944, in Zahle, Lebanon, with 90 scouts from Homenetmen chapters in Aleppo, Beirut, Ashrafieh, and Zahle. Yeghpayr Levon Bablouzian served as General Chief Scout.
The second Inter-Chapter Jamboree took place in September 1947 in the village of Taanayel, Bekaa, with scouts from the Beirut, Aleppo, Zahle, and Damascus chapters.
The third Inter-Chapter Jamboree was held from August 15 to September 15, 1948, in Ehden, Lebanon with Yeghpayr Arsen Tanielian as the General Chief Scout.
The fourth Inter-Chapter Jamboree took place from August 20 to September 10, 1949, in Kessab, Syria, under the supervision of Dr. Injejigian.
The fifth Inter-Chapter Jamboree was held from August 28 to September 16, 1950, in Kessab, Syria, with Homenetmen scouts from Beirut, Aleppo, Latakia, Damascus, and Bourj Hammoud participating.
The sixth Inter-Chapter Jamboree took place from August 23 to September 7, 1952, in Mayrouba, Lebanon.
The seventh Inter-Chapter Jamboree was organized from August 15 to 30, 1954, in Dhour El Choueir, Lebanon, with Homenetmen scouts from Beirut, Bourj Hammoud, Jounieh, and Aleppo.
The eighth Inter-Chapter Jamboree was held from August 20 to September 4, 1955, in Ayn al-Safa, Lebanon, with Homenetmen scouts from Beirut, Bourj Hammoud, Jounieh, and Aleppo.
The Jamboree was managed by a leadership team consisting of Yeghpayrner Souren Mouradian, Hagop Garabedian, Hagop Vosgerichian, and Khoren Nazarian.
In the following years, due to political instability in Lebanon, Inter-Chapter Jamborees were discontinued and replaced by school-based camps.
The last Inter-Chapter Jamboree was a three-day long rally camping held from September 8 to 10, 1972, in Bois de Boulogne. It was organized to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Armenian scouting and was sponsored by Lebanese Prime Minister, Saeb Salam.
School-Based Camps
The first School-Based Camp took place from August 12 to 28, 1959, in the Armenian Catholic Monastery in Bzommar, Lebanon, with 39 scouts from Homenetmen chapters in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
Yeghpayr Louder Masbanajian was in charge.
The second School-Based Camp was held from August 13 to 28, 1960, in Kessab, Syria, with 17 ranked scouts from Beirut, Aleppo, Bourj Hammoud, Aanjar, Tripoli, and Raqqa.
Yeghpayr Louder Masbanajian was responsible for the camp, while Yeghpayr Souren Nazarian oversaw its technical aspects.
The third School-Based Camp took place from August 20 to September 4, 1961, in Aanjar, Lebanon, with Yeghpayr Louder Masbanajian as the general responsible and Yeghpayr Arsen Tanielian as the General Chief Scout.
The final School-Based Camp of this period took place from May 4 to 6, 1968, on the heights of Adonis, near Jounieh, Lebanon, and was organized for ranked Kaylig (girl and boy cub) scouts.