ATAS members worldwide meet in Brazil

In conjunction with the on-going 39th World Scout Conference in Curitiba, Brazil, ATAS World Gathering was held on 11th January 2011 in a very social setting for the presentation of ATAS insignias to the newly recruited members, both from Brazil and from other countries. The gathering was organized by the Brazil chapter of ATAS.

A large number of ATAS members from various countries were present at the event, including most of the ATAS Management Committee members: President Simon Hang Bock Rhee, Vice President Eric Khoo and Membership Director Alex Wong Director Programme Shree Ram, and web master Manabu. Welcome remarks was given by Simon Rhee followed by other members who expressed their happiness of being part of this large-scale gathering and to meet with other members from other countries.

ATAS is a voluntary informal fraternity association formed initially within the Asia Pacific Region (APR) during the 21st Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference in 2004, in Brunei Darussalam. It is open to all members of the Queens, King, Tiger, National Flower, SAR, Honorary, Shaheen, Fuji, President, Garuda and Royal Scouts or its equivalent in the World Organization of the Scout Movement(WOSM) in the Asia-Pacific Region or Queens Guide, Mugunghwa Scout or its equivalent in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts(WAGGGS) and WOSM.

After it was formed in 2004, membership has grown quickly, within and outside Asia-Pacific that it eventually became an ATAS World in just a couple of years. Since then, ATAS has been an association for fraternity among the top achiever scouts of the world and membership remains free.

Today, over 40 countries have ATAS Chapters or Co-ordinators with over 1400 members. Many national chapters have been holding its national gathering. Just last year, two gatherings were held in Sri Lanka during its 8th National Jamboree in December and in India during the regional summit in June.

ATAS gathering is usually held in conjunction with all regional and world events, where all ATAS members are mostly present. ATAS significant increase in membership over the last 6 years relies on the effort by President Simon Rhee who remains as the driving force behind the association's tremendous growth.

ATAS is both a member of the APR Scout Foundation and the World Scout Foundation. Just last year, one room at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland has been dedicated to ATAS, designated as the ATAS room, from the donations given by some of its members.