Geneva, 3 April 2008 - Youth are a powerful resource for development and are critical actors in the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals. This was one of the key messages of the World Youth Report 2007, which was presented in Geneva on 3 April 2008 at an event hosted by the CONGO Committee of Youth NGOs which is currently chaired by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). The event was also attended by representatives of international youth organisations and UN agencies.

On Wednesday April 2, 2008, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Youth and Employment, Hon. Justin Kouataba, officially opened the Regional Communication Forum . The ceremony took place at Notre Dame de Lorette in Ouagadougou. Also present were, Hon. Salif Sawadogo, the Minister for the environment and Mr. Seydou Zagre, Permanent Secretary in the office of the Speaker of the Assembly.

In conjunction with the Forest Services, the Scouts Musulmans Algériens, Tlemcen Department, carried out a range of environmental activities during March 2008. More than 300 Scouts from different Scout groups took part in tree planting, cleaning up their local environment and environmental education activities.

Every year, women of the world are celebrated and empowered, and awareness is raised on gender issues, on International Women's Day (IWD), on the 8th of March. World Scouting, which offers equal opportunities to girls and boys, women and men, and takes an active position on gender issues, wishes to encourage such an important day.
To mark IWD this year, World Scouting has participated in the 52nd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, and 'Celebrating Women' in Geneva.

The Alcoa Foundation has been supporting the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in the development of the new World Scout Environment Programme. Part of this development involves WOSM supporting several National Scout Organizations directly to enhance their national environment programmes.

The Hungarian Scout Association is one of the focal countries and they recently held the first weekend course in Environmental Leader Training in the Scout Centre of Csobánka, Hungary from 15-17 February 2008.

This weekend was a very exciting one in Kandersteg when the first ever World Scout Winter Games were held at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC), Switzerland. The three day event, based in the Swiss Alps, was the first of its kind, bringing together 9 teams of Scouts from 8 different countries to compete in a number of winter activities. The disciplines included were Cross Country Skiing, Curling, Slalom Racing, Synchronised Skiing and a Triathlon.

As had been planned for some time, the World Scout Committee met in Geneva from 29 February - 2 March 2008.

At its opening session on Friday afternoon, following consultation with other members of the Committee, the Chairman Herman Hui announced his intention to resign both as Chairman and as a Member of the Committee, effective immediately. The World Scout Committee, with deep regret, accepted this resignation.

The South African Scout Association unveiled its new branding on 24 February 2008. The new design is based on the World Scout brand logo, which makes it the first National Scout Organization to adopt it as their National brand.

The Association's website has been re-launched with the new branding, and it will also be used on letterheads and signage.

Garth Morrison was made a Knight of the Thistle by Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace in London on Friday 22 February, Lord Baden-Powell's birthday. This is Scotland's highest order of chivalry. Sir Garth was Chief Scout of the United Kingdom, and an elected member of the World Scout Committee. He is a Baden-Powell Fellow and was awarded the Bronze Wolf in 2006.

Scouts were involved in the recent gathering of Environment Ministers, civil society organisations and United Nations (UN) representatives at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 9th Global Civil Society Forum and 10th Special Session of the Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) in the Principality of Monaco from the 19 to 22 February 2008.