Beavers make debut in scout, girl guides' annual parade

Hundreds of scouts and girl guides marched in Valletta yesterday in what was their seventh joint annual parade.

Musical instruments glimmered in the morning sun as the scouts and girl guides from 39 scout groups and 30 guide companies marched to the music of 16 scout bands.

Proud parents looked on from the sidelines - some clicking their cameras and others immortalising the moment on video.

One mother held the hand of her very young girl guide daughter, who, although marching with the rest, needed a comforting familiar touch to help her along.

Children who were not taking part in the parade also got into the spirit and marched along with smiles fixed firmly on their faces.

The annual parade has replaced the St George's Day parade by the scouts and the Joan of Arc Day parade by the guides. This year saw the first official appearance of the scouts' Beavers Section, the youngest section, which was inaugurated earlier this year.

Taking pride of place in the parade was the official Centenary Flag, marking the 100th anniversary of the setting up of the international Scout Movement. Next year the Malta scouts will mark 100 years since being formed.

The parade, which brought together about 4,500 participants, started with a thanksgiving Mass at St Publius church, in Floriana, celebrated by parish priest Fr Richard Borg together with the Scout Association's Commissioner for Religious Dimensions Fr Anton Briffa.

President Eddie Fenech Adami and Mrs Fenech Adami, who are the patrons of the associations, took the salute at Palace Square, accompanied by Chief Scout Vincent Cassar and Girl Guides Association president Rose Cassar.