Fifty young people from Malta, Ireland, Denmark, and Poland are currently taking part in a seven-day EU-sponsored Adventure Camp Malta 2009 at the Għajn Tuffieħa International Scout Centre, organised by St Aloysius' College (SAC) Scout Group.

The camp, aimed at raising awareness and promoting outdoor living as opposed to living an indoor and sedentary lifestyle, was inaugurated on Tuesday by Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport Clyde Puli.

Malta's sea and landscape offers many opportunities for young people to take part in nature walks and practice different kinds of sports, and the camp is being held to highlight the great outdoors and the country's natural environment as a means of recreation for young people.

During the camp, the participants will engage in a series of outdoor activities such as diving, kayaking, crevassing, orienteering, abseiling, catapult-building and treasure hunts. There will also be international evenings around a campfire, where the participants will cook traditional food, and speak about their country's traditions. The youths will also visit President George Abela at the Palace in Valletta.

The camp concludes a project part-funded by the EU's Youth In Action programme which was set up to create a network of young people, youth organisations and public actors. The SAC Scout Group's participation in the project was made possible through funding from the European Union Programmes Agency.

SAC Group Scout leader Edward Cassola said such activities foster young people's mutual understanding and active engagement through an open-minded approach to the world. He added that such an event not only provides an opportunity to promote the beauty of outdoor life but also enables youngsters to interact with their peers from different European countries, exposing them to cultural differences.

The camp is being led by SAC Scout Group leaders Mark Borg and Andre Brincat. For more information visit www.sacscouts.org or call Mr Borg on 9946 6669.