News Archive 2008
WOSM - European Region continued the tradition of a January working weekend for volunteers supporting regional work to provide coordination, motivation and insight into the future regional activities. The most recent was 25-27 January.
As you read this, the planning team, consisting of four European Rovers and supported by the European Region, is working hard on delivering the best possible event for two Rovers from each National Scout Association.
The new interactive community for the Rovers in Europe is now available at www.rovernet.eu/community. Part of the rovernet project, the online community allows its users to create their own profiles, add music, photos and videos, exchange views with other Rovers in several discussion forums, plan joint initiatives, stay on top with all the new developments in World Scouting, find out about Rover events and much more...
The second edition of the Lands of Adventure Day will be held in the weekend of 8-9 March 2008.
The ultimate triennial event for Rover Commissioners from the whole region takes place at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre, from 3 – 6 April 2008. Come and enjoy the Commissioners' community, the sharing of techniques and tools, the development of better approaches towards Rovers from national level.
More information can be found at rovernet.blogspot.com.
Don't miss the deadline - 17 March 2008.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Over 50 representatives from associations across Europe gathered in Frankfurt, Germany, over the weekend of 4-6 April.
Entitled 'Moving Forward - A European Conversation' this special gathering was convened to provide a space for associations to discuss their concerns and hopes for the future of WOSM. It was also seen as a useful stepping stone towards the 38th World Scout Conference.
On Wednesday 9th April, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), Marian Harkin (IE), Gisela Kallenbach (DE), Emmanouil Angelakas (GR), Mieczyslaw Janowski (PL) and Joel Hasse Ferreira (PT) launched a written declaration in the Parliament to propose 2011 be designated the European Year of Volunteering. If it is adopted it will make a significant contribution to the campaign to have the year designated.
On Thursday 8th of May the Latvian Parliament passed a new youth law – giving the sector a strong base for further youth policy development and for the support of youth NGOs. "It was a long time coming, we’ve been working on this since the mid-nineties. But the concerted action of national and international NGOs, the Scouts & Guides and the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs has paid off", said Eva Ikstena, President of the National Youth Council of Latvia. The Latvian Scouts and Guides sustained involvement at all stages of the processes illustrates their commitment to young people in decision making.
The Education, Youth and Culture Council of the European Union adopted a resolution on 22nd May on the participation of young people with fewer opportunities. The resolution recognises the role of youth organisations in promoting the inclusion and well-being of disadvantaged young people and the need to secure support from public authorities for these organisations, so that they may continue and expand this work.
On 7th May WOSM held its 6th meeting in the European Parliament on how young people are leading social change in Africa in the framework of EU Africa co-operation. The meeting was hosted by Scout and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Alessandro Battilocchio (IT) and was addressed by Margrete Auken (DK), the Parliament's Vice-President Luisa Morgantini (IT), Anthony Crasner, The European Commission (DG DEV), Julia Ojanen of Plan International/Concord, Giuseppe Porcaro, The European Youth Forum and Babacar Ndiaye CNGEI. Various methods of empowering young people were discussed, as was the need to focus on education and the opportunities provided by youth organisations between the two continents especially between the nearly one million Scouts in Africa and the 1.4 million in Europe.
