World Scouting News

Start applying for a Messengers of Peace Grant

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:02:35 GMT

We are pleased to inform you that the revised set of documents, MoP Support Fund : FORMS and GUIDELINES, required for submitting a grant application is now available online .

NSOs are invited to consult these documents, which offer guidance through the grant application process as well as the evaluation process that has been put in place in each Region.

By using these documents, you will be able to present your project in a manner that meets the requirements laid down under the Support Fund aspect of the Messengers of Peace initiative.

United Nations Global Survey on Violence Against Children

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:30:04 GMT

WOSM has been invited to participate in the latest UN Violence Studies’ global survey. This survey was launched in the end of last year and at the conclusion of the survey, a report will be presented to the UN General Assembly later this year.

The United Nations launched their Study on Violence Against Children in 2006. At that time WOSM was involved in preparing the activity guides for children to understand and appreciate issues surrounding Violence Against Children, which was published as part of the study. World Scouting also contributed to the case studies featuring Scout projects from Egypt, Namibia and El Salvador. Further in the same year, WOSM participated in the writing and field-testing of the child friendly versions of the Study, which is since being widely used.

WSPU Youth Exchange Programme welcomes Scouts from Africa

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:42:52 GMT

From 12th- 21st January 2012, Scouts from Ethiopia and Kenya joined by Korean Scouts, had the experience of a lifetime by taking part in the 2nd World Scout Parliamentary Union’s (WSPU) Youth Exchange Programme (YEP). This aim was to give the opportunity to Scouts from member countries of WSPU/WOSM to travel to a different country (often for the first time), meet Scouts from other countries and have the chance to share their culture and traditions including their Scout activities and experiences. The programme also included group discussions on youth participation in decision-making and debating on the role of young people in today’s society in the context of the challenges that they face everyday.

For Rovers, by Rovers – ‘Agora’ opens up to the other Regions in 2012

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:58:14 GMT

From 17-22 April 2012, the former European Rover Scout gathering ‘Agora’ goes global by extending participation to Rovers from all other Scout Regions of WOSM. The 1st Inter-Regional Agora will be held at the picturesque Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) in Switzerland.

The educational programme for the Agora event uses the Scout Method to reach the educational objectives for the Rover age section with a special emphasis on youth empowerment. What makes an Agora special is that it is an event run for Rover Scouts, by Rover Scouts.

A Royal volunteer for Scouting

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:34:25 GMT

HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Elizabeth (Kate Middleton) was a Brownie as a child and has now decided to volunteer with the Scout Association (of the United Kingdom), especially at the local level, close to her home in northern Wales (UK). She has also expressed the willingness to volunteer in other areas of Scouting when opportunity arises.

Seven glances at 2011 - a WOSM retrospective on the year that passed by

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:02:25 GMT

The year 2011 was institutionally a crucial year for WOSM with many global events and initiatives. During the year, World Scouting managed to successfully organize three large World Scout Events, the World Scout Youth Forum and the World Scout Conference in Brazil, and the World Scout Jamboree in Sweden. World Scouting also launched its flagship initiative, ‘Messengers of Peace’.

Here is a summary of the key events and developments at WOSM from the year that passed by.

13th World Scout Moot, Kenya 2010 – Report

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:26:54 GMT

Kenya Scouts Association and WOSM are pleased to announce the publication of the Report on the 13th World Scout Moot, which was held in Kenya from 27 July to 7 August 2010. The Moot was attended by 1,700 Scouts from 69 countries and made history as the first ever World Scout Moot to take place in Africa.

The Report is available to download from the Library

Participation of the World Scout Team at COP17

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:37:31 GMT

The World Scout Team at the COP17 has been shuttling down the corridors and pavements of the ICC urging the leaders of the world to reconsider the future of the young people specifically the 30million large that are members of the Movement.

The team has been actively involved in the working groups of Youth Non-Governmental Organizations (YOUNGOs). On September 28, 2009 the international youth movement (YOUNGO) gained official constituency status.

A message from the Secretary General on the International Volunteer Day 2011

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 08:34:02 GMT

Dear brother and sister Scouts,

Warm greetings on the occasion of International Volunteer Day 2011!

Volunteering has always been at the core of the Scout Movement since its inception over a century ago. This has been reflected in our constantly improving system to train, support and reward volunteers over the years, from local to global levels of the Movement. Even today, WOSM is one of the very few organizations working with children and youth, which is almost entirely driven by volunteer contributions and efforts.

The youth are watching...

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:27:17 GMT

In 2005, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol ( CMP) at its first meeting in Montreal, by its Decision 1/CMP.1, established the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP). The aim of the AWG-KP is to discuss future commitments for industrialized countries under the Kyoto Protocol. The AWG-KP reports directly to the CMP.

In addressing the delegates to the conference, as part of the Youth Constituent statement, Quintin Combrink from South Africa Scout Association (SASA) said, “Climate change is the moral issue facing both my and your generation….young people here doubt the political will of parties.” He called for a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, which will last for 5 years or less and for it to start by January 2013. He closed firmly by saying that, “the youth are watching, we are listening and we will be acting.”

AWG - KP Contact Group intervention 2 Dec 2011 71.53 kB

World Scouting @ COP17

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:21:02 GMT

The environment is our playground and we are sharing with the tens of thousands of international non-governmental and governmental delegates at the event how scouting has always cared for the planet, not because we had to, but rather, simply that we are in the business of creating a better world.

UNHCR launches social media campaign to raise awareness about refugee displacement

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:55:10 GMT

Every minute, 8 people around the world flee their homes to escape conflict or persecution.

To raise awareness about this issue, UNHCR is launching their #add1voice community action application on Facebook and Twitter on Thursday, November 24th. .

The aim of the application is to inspire people around the world to add their own voice to the campaign by standing together and telling the world that even one person forced to flee their home is too many.

International Rover Week in KISC

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:47:13 GMT

Feeling like 'going international' this Winter? What about spending one week in Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) for the New Year's International Rover Week 2012!

Although the temperature is going to be cool, the atmosphere is guaranteed to be warm and cosy!

This is not an exercise...

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:35:09 GMT

Rarely before has the Scout motto "Be prepared" been so timely. Just one week after the JOTA-JOTI, a 7.2 earthquake struck Eastern Turkey. It was the most powerful earthquake to hit the country in ten years.

One of the themes of this year's JOTA-JOTI was "Natural Disasters". On this occasion, World Scouting partnered with IRESC (International Radio Emergency Support Coalition) and ShelterBox, an international disaster relief charity.

Preparations already underway for the WSPU 7th General Assembly!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:16:18 GMT

Representatives of the Scout Association of Japan (SAJ) came to Korea to discuss preparations of the 7th General Assembly of the World Scout Parliamentary Union (WSPU), which is due to take place in Japan in 2013. The SAJ representatives met with representatives of Korea Scout Association (KSA), as well as members of its sister organization, the Korea Scout Parliamentary Association (KSPA), which acts as the Secretariat of WSPU.

The main purpose of the meeting was to share information for the organization of the 7th General Assembly, which is expected to gather many Scout parliamentarians from around the world for discussions centered around the topics of Scouting and Youth, such as national youth legislation and youth participation in the decision-making process, among others.

Step Up for Disaster Risk Reduction!

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:48:38 GMT

The thirteenth of October is UN International Day for Disaster Reduction. Its theme for this year is “Making Children and Young People Partners for Disaster Risk Reduction”.

From its inception, Scouting around the world has engaged itself in helping people affected by natural disasters or human crisis. Every Scout is asked to "Be prepared!" to intervene to alleviate suffering during great natural or climatic disaster.

During the earthquakes and tsunamis that affected countries in the Asia-Pacific region in December 2004, Haiti last year and more recently Japan, Scouts have shown that they know how to react quickly and efficiently in the face of natural disasters.

Are you changing the world today?

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:26:58 GMT

If you were at the World Scout Jamboree in Sweden this summer you certainly heard about "Messengers of Peace". During the Jamboree 12.000 Scouts from all over the world signed the initiatives and registered their projects on the Messengers of Peace map. But the Jamboree was just the first step. Now the excitement is about to spread wider...

On 28 September, the next big step will be taken, with the official worldwide launch of the Messengers of Peace Programme in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Messengers of Peace is a simple concept – every Scout doing good deeds and giving services to others will be part of that collective process aiming at changing the world – your single act multiplied by 20 million – that is its real dynamic. So, of course, we want you and all of your friends to be a part of it...

Watch youtube.com/scoutsmessengers on 28 September at 20.20 (local time Jeddah, GMT+3 to adjust for your local time).

JOTA from Space

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:21:15 GMT

Astronaut and scout master Mike Fossum is planning to participate in JOTA from the International Space Station. His schedule is somewhat flexible on the weekends but will not be available for every pass.

The typical crew work periods are 0800-1930 UTC but they are sometimes available a bit later.

Check to see if the ISS will be passing over your area during that time period.

JOTA-JOTI 2011

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:40:13 GMT

The 54th Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) and the 15th Jamboree On The Internet (JOTI) are taking place 15th and 16th October this year. These are two very special days when Scouts and Guides across the world can talk to each other from an Amateur Radio Station and/or using Internet Relay Chat (IRC).

The theme of the event this year is "Peace, Environment and Natural Disasters".

Some educational activities have been prepared with the aim of helping participants to think, discuss and act on these issues. JOTA-JOTI is also always an opportunity to discover and experience new projects and new programmes, communicate with new partners and make new friends.

The King of Sweden promotes Scouting in the Swedish Parliament

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:30:43 GMT

15 September, Stockholm. Today the Swedish parliament opened for the year. His Majesty, King Carl Gustaf of Sweden makes his only speech to the parliament this day. This year he talked for seven minutes and of these two and a half minutes were about the World Scout Jamboree 2011.

The following is a translation of an extract of his speech.