NEARLY seven decades after cries of “Merdeka” rang out, the historic Stadium Merdeka saw a record-making Girl Guides Association of Malaysia (GGAM) meet.
The venue was transformed into a sprawling campsite for 2,031 Girl Guides and 521 tents, set against the towering backdrop of the iconic Merdeka 118.
The three-day Jade Camp 2026 earned Asean Records and Asia Records recognition for the largest Girl Guide camp and grand march-in ceremony held alongside the world’s second tallest building for the 110th anniversary celebration.
Rows of colourful tents covered the field as participants from across the country camped for two nights.
Participants ranged from Firefly Guides aged five to eight and Brownies aged nine to 12, to older Rangers, Clovers and Trefoil Guild members.
Six sub-camps were set up across the grounds, named after international Girl Guide world centres including Pax Lodge in the UK, Sangam in India and Our Cabana in Mexico.
GGAM chief commissioner Datuk Yeoh Soo Keng said the camp was especially meaningful as it was held at a site closely tied to the nation’s history.
“There is no more meaningful location to organise this event than on these grounds, with Merdeka 118 standing in the background,” she said after the march-in ceremony.
The ceremony involved contingents from Girl Guide branches from 14 states and federal territories as well as the Mara Junior Science College and Teacher Education Institutes.
Yeoh said the event aimed not only to celebrate the anniversary, but also to inspire future women leaders.
“We must continue holding on to values that shape our identity as Malaysians,” she said.
PNB Merdeka Ventures chief executive officer Datuk Izwan Hasli Mohd Ibrahim said the camp transformed the historical venue into a holistic learning platform for young participants.
“This helps shape young people through leadership, discipline, teamwork and resilience.”
Izwan revealed that some participants were excited while others were nervous as it was their first camping experience.
“Many were also amazed by how tall Merdeka 118 is.”
He said organising a camp of such scale at Stadium Merdeka reflected strong cooperation between organisers, schools, government agencies and supporting partners.
Activities throughout the camp included badge programmes, leadership modules, climate-related activities, marching ceremonies and group challenges conducted at the stadium and nearby SJK(C) Jalan Davidson.
Present at the certificate ceremony were Asean Records and Asia Records co-founders Eldrick Koh and Gillian Ooi.
