Conferment of Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays on Mr Callum Farquhar (Spring Decoration 2025)

 

1. On 29th April 2025, the Government of Japan announced that it would award the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays to Mr. Callum Farquhar, Regional Scout Commissioner for the East of Scotland, in recognition of his many years of contributions to promoting youth exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and the UK.

 

2. As Regional Scout Commissioner for the East of Scotland, Mr. Farquhar has been promoting exchanges between Japan and Scotland for over 30 years and has worked hard to encourage Scouts to conduct regular, mutual visits and deepen ties with local residents through homestays. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, He raised £10,000 in Scotland and donated this to support scouts along the coast of Iwate Prefecture, which had been hit by the tsunami. In addition, at the World Scout Jamboree held in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 2015, the organisation arranged homestays for 3,000 British scouts, greatly expanding the network of exchange between the two countries. Thanks to his steadfast support for scouts in the disaster-stricken areas, over 500 scouts from Japan, mainly from Iwate Prefecture, have been welcomed to Scotland and over 200 Scottish scouts have been given the opportunity to visit Japan.

 

3. The Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh wishes to express their respect and admiration for Mr Callum Farquhar’s many years of service and to congratulate him on receiving this Order of the Rising Sun. It also hopes that the bonds of friendship fostered by Mr Callum Farquhar between Japan, the UK and Scotland will continue to grow.