Scout and Guide Leaders from around Europe have continued to arrive this morning in Brussels for the

13th European Guide and Scout Conference due to be officially opened later this evening. After sometimes very long journeys, many of them found themselves invited to mount a “quadro-cycle”, a four-wheeled bicycle more known to carry around tourists on the Belgian coast, which carried them the remaining distance to the Hotel and conference venue.

More than 300 delegates have already checked-in and registered and are currently meeting in small groups to prepare the first sessions of the conference, which will start with a number of introductory sessions later this afternoon. New delegates, candidates for election to the two Committees as well as facilitators of workshops will be briefed, before all participants will have the possibility to meet in a variety of networking sessions.

Some 450 Guide and Scout leaders from 45 different countries of Europe will be entertained by representatives of the city and Region of Brussels later this afternoon, when they will gather in Horta Gallery for the official opening ceremony of the conference.

The Scout and Guide Movement of Belgium, conference hosts of this year, will welcome delegates to their “conference bar” later this evening. The open air facility is conveniently situated less than two minutes from the hotel and will allow informal gatherings of delegates and possibilities for ‘chilling out’ after long hours of debate and work.

For more photos have look at Conference Picasa Photo Gallery