Messengers of Peace Heroes

2019 Messengers of Peace Heroes

Aden Salat Hussein – Somalia

Aden is a Somali refugee living in Kenya and organising community action inside the camp where he lives with his family. He leads a series of activities promoting Scouting and bringing relief to fellow refugees living in the camp.

Alice Chatelain – France

Alice has taken the lead on being an advocate for climate action among young people in her community. She is known for organising awareness campaigns in her city. After starting with a small group of Scout friends, Alice began collaborating with local organizations and community leaders to involve them in her events towards climate action. Her events aim to encourage people and educate them on the effects of daily practices for climate action, where thousands are attending.

Aliff Ajwad – Malaysia

Aliff has always been passionate and strongly active when it comes to promoting environmental protection in his country. He initiated several conservation projects that include working with Rover Scouts in mangrove areas to protect natural habitats. Aliff’s proudest project is the one he started by collecting plastic bottle caps around the country to build a pedestrian walk for a local community to support children and students in reaching the public transport using this route. Aliff also raises awareness about plastic pollution, and mobilised his network of friends to collect bottle caps around the world. 

Eric Mwakaramba – Democratic Republic of Congo

Eric works with marginalised children in DR Congo who have been outcasts in their society due to discrimination. The children end up on the streets as their community excludes them due to local traditional beliefs. Eric has been advocating and supporting these children despite being looked down upon by the community.  He involved the children in Scouting programmes and teaches them useful skills. 

Fatima Aliyeva – Azerbaijan

One of the most active young members in her National Scout Organization, Fatima has been involved in several projects that work towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Her latest project is focused on working with orphaned children living in orphanages around the country. The project enabled the children to learn about Scouting and also gave them an opportunity to play and feel supported by the young Scouts like Fatima.

Gustavo Adolfo – Colombia

In 2018, Gustavo started a project to preserve and protect water in Colombia. Naming his project “Hands to the Water”, Gustavo collaborated with the local government and Scout groups to remove 3.4 tons of solid waste from water sources, by directly engaging 300 people and over 1,500 community members

Mariana Monroy – Mexico

At only 10 years old as a Cub Scout, Mariana started wanted to help children battling cancer. She started collecting hair braids to donate to children who have lost their hair after treatment. Just one year later, she managed to give 300 braids to a local hospital and has continued her project since. With the support of the Scouts Global Network, Mariana’s campaign is now known across some countries in the region.

Mary Wanjiku – Kenya

For Mary, she wanted to help people in her community generate an income and benefit the environment at the same time. This is when she started her olive tree planting project. Mary receives seed donations, prepares the seedlings and distributes them to local women, farmers and schools. The brown olive trees improves the land conditions for farmers and this encourages them to plant more olive seedlings. Students and women are planting more trees, and making an income for their families by selling the olives and making other by-products.

Miss Svitta – Thailand

As a Rover Scout, Svitta is leading a series of projects to address issues faced in underprivileged communities in her city. She has been working to provide clean water and sanitation, instil environmentally friendly practices with support from her local community.

Mourad Barsoum – Egypt

For several years Mourad has been volunteering with different organizations around the world. From rehabilitating young offenders and child refugees in the Philippines and South Sudan, to working with child victims of abuse in Kenya, Mourad involved his Scouting skills to deal with vulnerable children and support them. Mourad plans to continue volunteering and expand his knowledge in dealing with children affected by armed conflict.

Muath Nujayfan – Saudi Arabia

Muath has been a strong advocate for anti-bullying among young people, seeing that bullying is a serious global issue affecting young people in all cultures. By using the Scouting programme and raising awareness in schools, Muath has been helping young people develop their confidence and prevent more abuse among young people in schools and outside of school.

Nadine Shilli – Tunisia

Nadine was 12 years old when her country underwent major political transformation, and that’s when her passion to stand for human rights started.  Through Scouting, Nadine became involved in different programmes like Youth Voices for Democracy where she now supports young people to develop skills for civil activism through workshops and debates. Nadine wants to continue providing a space for young people to be informed and learn to influence positive change in their local community.

Njood Mansour – Saudi Arabia

As a student of social work, Njood has witnessed the negative effects of neglect in underprivileged children. This motivated her to provide vulnerable children with life skills and develop programs for them with the help of other women in Saudi Arabia. For her, it is essential to encourage other woman involved in Scouting to put their ideas to action and take the lead to develop their local community.

Ruhi Rusaba – Bangladesh

Ruhi has been working closely with young women in her city to promote gender equality and put an end to early marriages. Through organizing workshops Ruhi has been supporting them to be aware of their rights and understand the importance of education.

Veronika Gorovska – Ukraine

Veronika was one of the strong young advocates for dialogue and spreading a culture of peace and understanding in her region. She first became involved in this through World Scouting’s partnership between KAICIID and familiarising herself with the 10 Principles of Dialogue. Veronika was among the contributors to bring dialogue into the Eurasian countries through Scouting by organising a Jamboree dedicated to it, which brought dialogue as a topic for decision-makers in all National Scout Organisations. 

2018 Messengers of Peace Heroes

Adriana Gamboa – Mexico

From clean water to dialogue and staying safe online, everything Adriana does is about putting young people at the head of social change and responsible living. In her community in Mexico, young people are especially vulnerable to cyberbullying and online violence, so she made it her mission to raise awareness about cybercrimes and informing over 1000 young people about their rights and protections online. When she’s not leading the “Don’t Get Involved with the Networks” initiative, she’s spearheading youth-led initiatives supporting children in low-income families, building more tolerant societies and a culture of peace, and keeping toxins out of drinking water.

Camilo Ayala – Colombia

After experiencing the conflict in Colombia directly affecting his childhood, Camilo turned to Scouting to find a supportive community and was able to become an ambassador for using dialogue for sewing peace and forgiveness during the reconstruction process in Colombia. He’s now using film and other creative storytelling methods for young people in his community to find their voices in talking about the conflict and promoting dialogue.

Carl Oehlenschläger – Denmark

Carl is a main driver of the Future Leaders Project, which crosses borders and connects young people in Tunisia and Denmark to participate in democratic processes and encourage them to be active members of their communities. From developing the skills of young people to advocating for freedom of speech and encouraging Scouts to take up their own community development projects, the project aims to use the Scout method to keep young people away from radicalisation.

Doline Chokogoue Noukachessie – Cameroon

People suffering from leprosy in Doline’s community face stigmatization, causing many of them to become distanced from society and even be forced into seclusion and retirement. It’s Doline’s mission to make sure of group of seniors with leprosy living at the Baleng Leprosy Center are able to live fulfilled lives, so she and her Scout group are raising awareness about their condition and rights and volunteering to renovate the Centre.

Hiu Lam Fung (Helen) – Hong Kong

As the former Chairlady of the National Rover Council in Hong Kong, Helen was discouraged by the amount of prejudice immigrant communities experience, so she led a group of Scouts in implementing a project to break down barriers and dispel stereotypes. Helen’s vision is live in a society where everyone can live peacefully and with dignity.

Humayra Ibnat Badhon – Bangladesh

Badhon always wanted to be a Scout but scouting in her school was only open to boys. When her school principle became a commissioner for “Scout Metro”, he encouraged her to start Scouting for girls, so she did! She was able to set up the programme with his support and hold meetings with groups of parents to convince them to allow their girls to join her group. She eventually grew the group to 200 girl Scouts and is now an “elder sister” to all of the girls, who are excited to get new opportunities outside of school through Scouting.

Junbert Pabon – Philippines

Junbert is on a mission to give young offenders in the Philippines a new chance at life by bringing Scouting to children in conflict with the law. By turning troublemakers into peacebuilders, Junbert is hoping to make sure these young people have the opportunity to thrive once they’re released. So far, his programme with the Boy Scouts of Philippines has impacted the lives of tens of young people and has even helped some prove in court that they’re fit to be released.

Marwan Awny – Egypt

Inspired by the opportunity of helping the children of feuding families break the cycle of violence and revenge, Marwan became one of the leaders of a project working directly with these children in Southern Egypt. According to Marwan, the real impact of his work will come 30 years down the road when their generation of the feuding families is able to successfully put the history of feuding behind them and prevent future generations from engaging in acts of revenge.

Mikaeel Martinez Jaka – United States

After a historic African-American school was vandalized in Mikaeel’s community, he and a group of community members from different faiths worked to repair the school and Mikaeel was inspired to do even more to honour African American heritage. He brought together over 100 volunteers to build a protected gravel trail to a historic African burial ground near his community to pay respect and protect local heritage.

Patrick Evans – South Sudan

Growing up in South Sudan, Patrick was discouraged by the number of children who die every year due to preventable water-borne diseases, but he knew he could make a difference. He’s now spearheading Sustainable Development Goal 9: Clean Water and Sanitation through his project Water for Child, which gives students access to proper sanitation services at their school, and trains “Hygiene Promoters” to be ambassadors for good hygiene habits.

Violetta Pugachova – Ukraine

Since 2016, Violetta has been working with Scouts of Ukraine to help internally-displaced children in Kiev find a sense a belonging in their new communities through playing games, gaining new friends, and teaching them Scout activities. She hopes these young people will feel welcome in their new home and be able to live fulfilled lives through Scouting.

2017 Messengers of Peace Heroes

Baskouda Shelley – Cameroon

Baskouda has contributed to supporting the SWA expansion in the Region. He has consistently contributed to promoting Youth engagement globally representing and championed to nurture their leadership skills. He launched an initiative of “I Rover, 100 service hours, 1 project” with a view of attaining 36000 service hours by September 2018 with 36 rover Scouts with a view of expanding the project to 3 additional groups. He is leading MOP network expansion in Cameroon and conducts many MOP network promotion activities. He has served the Region as a Better World Framework (BWF) facilitator greatly contributing to sensitization of BWF in the Region.

Pauline Kigari – Kenya

Pauline has really championed the growth and expansion of MOP in Kenya with a keen focus on the empowerment of young girls through life skills training and advocating against gender-based violence. She has equally championed community outreach programmes targeting the less fortunate notably the distribution of sanitary towels and promoting hygiene of girls during menstruation. Has worked as a volunteer at Daadab Refugee camp with UNHCR at the AVSI foundation introducing Scouting and promoting Peace programmes under MOP, also focussing on environment conservation and effective utilisation of available resources. This particular project has attracted more partners and Pauline seeks to expand the scope to focus on other areas like Health and Countering Violent Extremism. Besides Pauline’s profile already shared, see this video of her projects with Girl Scouts Kenya

Venny Indri Christyanti – Indonesia

Venny has been one of the main faces for the expansion of Messengers of Peace Indonesia and the Asia Pacific Region. She supported the development of the MoP team and is actively supporting the engagement of more Scouts in the various initiatives like Peace train and cultural heritage in Indonesia.

Saarabamon Nabil Marie Gabra – Sudan

Saarabamon took part in a more innovative way to spread peace with the project Bikes for Peace. Together with other Scouts, they travel across cities rising awareness and taking action to support communities.

Leonid Sokolov – Kazakhstan

Leonid is one of our youngest leaders to receive the award. He is promoting leadership and teamwork in his community, and he also participated in several community development initiatives at his young age. An inspiration for all of us to reach out for community partners to amplify the impact of scouting from a young age.

Daria Chekurova – Ukraine

One of our most active ambassadors in the Eurasia region and in the world, Daria joined the messengers of Peace team around 2013. During the regional MoP training, she already stood out from the group with her ideas and great spirit. Since then, her commitment and enthusiasm became the fuel of Ukrainian Messengers of Peace Network with the support of her team. Still, her influence reached beyond her country and she has inspired people and projects around the world, keeping people motivated and the network growing in actions and influence.

Oana Mitrut – Romania

She coordinated the development of peace activities and workshops during the 6th National Jamboree. She is working to promote diversity and inclusion not only in Rumania but in Europe. She is in the process to become a dialogue ambassador to continue her work in supporting Scouts to raise awareness towards inclusion and more inclusive communities.

Elif Erdemir – Turkey

Young and spirited Elif is an exceptional leader of community development in her city. She has been championing community improvement actions with the support of Messengers of Peace initiative.

Josue Rivera Linares – Peru

In recent years, Peru has been heavily affected by the natural phenomenon called "El Nino". More than 141,000 people were affected during the 2017 rainy season due to flooding and landslides. Scouts organised the "Be prepared operation" in different parts of the country where people were affected by the rainy season. Together, Scouts mobilised more than 15 tons of donations and relief supplies.

Jessica Rodriguez – Mexico

In 2017 Mexico was hit by a very destructive earthquake with severe impact in many cities across the country. Jessica's city and neighbourhood was one of the most affected. The damages on highways blocked the relief support to reach their city. Despite the limited resources, she and her Rover crew organised the community members to start rescue actions in flattened buildings. Together they saved the life of seven people trapped in the rubble. They also coordinated the distribution of medical resources and shelter for the most affected until the relief reached the area.

Safidy Randriamitantsoa – Madagascar

Safidy is a young man tackling one of Madagascar’s biggest taboos – menstrual hygiene. It hasn’t been easy for him to talk about the subject openly, especially as the young Scout is breaking a taboo by providing menstrual hygiene kits and training to the young girls and women of the island off the coast of eastern Africa.

2016 Messengers of Peace Heroes

Katie Hancock – United States

As a young leader, after the floods in Lubbock, Texas, communities were stranded without access to clean water, food and shelter. Messengers of Peace and Scout Katie Hancock jumped into action, raising funds locally and delivering goods to families in need.

Pia Mortensen – Global Volunteer for Messengers of Peace

Knowing that Scouts in Europe needed to collaborate to provide the most suitable support for refugees coming into Europe in 2015, Pia Mortensen from Denmark organized a Refugee Response Seminar, which acted as a seed corn effect and thousands of Messengers of Peace service hours helping Syrian, Iraqi and Afghani refugees.

Aster Fiker – Ethiopia

Is an empowered young woman and Messenger of Peace, leading 180 Scouts trough the Food for Life programme in her country. Led by Aster, the Scouts are learning how to cultivate the land and run a small business and are inspired to volunteer.

Michal Medek – Global Volunteer for World Scout Environment Programme

If you would like to meet a nature lover, you should meet Michal Medek. He dedicated himself to the Environmental education and community projects. His dream to have an environmental centre in Czech Republic by building with his team Kaprálův mlýn Scout Centre which become one of SCENES and hosted the latest World Scout Seminar on Environment Education (May 2016).

Scouts of the World Team – Thailand

Scout leader and local Volunteers engaged in mentoring more than five hundred young rovers to develop community service projects inspired by Peace, Sustainable development and Environmental causes. Among their various projects Rovers in Thailand have advocated against drugs, bullying, historical heritage, youth empowerment and the development of leadership skills in young people.

Edgardo Fuertes Esquivel – Costa Rica

For more than three years, his enthusiasm and personal story with bullying inspired Edgardo to take have a stronger voice against bullying. Is transforming the attitude of Scouts around the world to the subject of bullying. Using Social media network of Scouts, he has connected with more than 2,000 young people around the world to understand, recognise and prevent bullying in their schools and youth clubs.

May Abdelhadi – Palestine

One of our earliest Messengers of Peace from the Arab world since the start of MoP, she is an enthusiastic advocate for young women empowerment. May has inspired young girls to engage in emergency relief actions and refugee support in conflict areas with mental health activities in refugee shelters. She also is a strong partner to promote collaboration between guides and scouts for community development initiatives.

Monica Figueroa –  Colombia

The Messengers of Peace project “books for All” developed by Monica Figueroa, initially started in Colombia, inspires Scouts to collect books and redistribute them to areas of need in their local community. So far the project has provided over 20,000 books and more than 200 hundred local libraries. Monica is also founder of a local foundation advocating for literacy and opportunities for underprivileged children at risk.

Scouts of Greece

The Scouts of Lesbos, Greece have been welcoming and sometimes rescuing refugees making the hazardous journey westwards to Europe from the Middle East. These Messengers of Peace have been recognised by UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon. The Scouts of Lesbos are all heroes!

Special Nomination Messengers of Peace Heroes

Jemima Nartley – Ghana

Member of the World Scout committee as liaison person for Messengers of Peace Initiative, she has contributed with her experience and perspective to enrich the development of strategies and programme content. She has been an active Ambassador of Messengers of Peace in each of her engagements as a Vice-chair of WSC, always dedicating time to support NSOs and regions in the development of training experiences regarding MoP. In her personal time, she advocates for young women empowerment becoming a mentor for the arising leadership of woman scout leaders in Africa Region.

Mutakin Jaenal – Indonesia

Leader of a large number of volunteers and initiators of the Train for Peace project. Muktain a several hundred Scouts have been attending passengers using the railroad system of Indonesia. Muktain and volunteers target mainly women and children providing them with water and small snacks during the long commuting journey. As they share time with passengers they also talk with them about tolerance and peace culture in an attempt to raise awareness of kindness as a way of living. The project is in its third year of activation.

Bernardo de Leon – Philippines

Along with a group of enthusiastic group of young Scouts, ‘Berns’ and Brighton Venture Scouts created the Messengers of Peace Road Show. The aim of this projects, funded mainly with his own resources, they want to reach out to students all across Philippines sharing with them the idea of Peace Culture, Community service and Environmental awareness. Up to date, MoP Roadshow has reach out to more than 40,000 young scouts and non-scouts in Philippines and has extended its reach to all Asia-Pacific countries.

Ahmed Elhalfawy – Egypt

Messenger of Peace Ambassador and leader of the MoP Global team, he’s coordinated the development of Messengers of Peace Programme Guidelines and advocating for the Programme in the Arab Region. In the past year he has worked hard to raise awareness about Messengers

Peter Blatch – Australia

Member of the World Scout committee and the MoP Regional decision committee for five years, he has been instrumental to ensure the development and evolution of evaluation systems and criteria for funded projects and current guidelines for NSOs in the use of the fund. Peter Blatch has also contributed to several MoP Training experiences to support NSOs in Asia Pacific Region and around the world, to promote MoP aims and goals. In his personal time, he volunteers to support children with special needs.

Messengers of Peace Social Media Team – Mexico

Under the leadership of Jose Ramon Diaz, Messengers of Peace has promoted extensively its aims and objectives in cities across Mexico, triggering the creation of several local initiatives and global campaigns among Cubs, Scouts and Rovers. Cubs supporting people with cancer, young scouts advocating against bullying, Ventures and Rovers working hard for environment are result of extensive social media work in the country. In addition to their local actions, Mexico team has supported all MoP teams in Interamerica Region to boost their communication messages and campaigns, keeping them inspired and prompting growth of young people in action at local level.

Tan Sijie – Singapore

Developer of the first Messengers of Peace Programme Guidelines for Singapore, he is a champion activist for Messengers of Peace in the region, along with Environment Programme, Better World Framework and World Scout Programmes, especially Scouts of the World Award and Messengers of Peace. His contribution to many projects in Singapore and Malaysia is been outstanding in areas of environment, community awareness and dialogue. He has run Project Orion (SWA Voluntary Service) for the past seven year to save marine turtles. He is also a dialogue for peace trainers.

Bharat Scouts and Guides

From the very adoption of Messengers of Peace in India, Scouts and Scouts leaders have not ceased in their commitment to spread the message of Peace Culture, Scouting and community service across the country, including the farthest cities and provinces. Bharath Scotus and Guides have also supported extensively various Asia-Pacific initiatives to reach out more young people trough Messengers of Peace, becoming trend setters in the region.

Mohamed Nidal Arfaoui – Tunisia

Coordinator of the initiative Ambassadors of Youth. Tunisian scouts have through Ambassadors of youth are advocating and developing community projects to raise awareness against the use of drugs reaching out to thousands of young people with innovating approaches. They also organized medical campaigns to attend with Diabetes condition in local communities. Youth Ambassadors is now entering its second year of initiatives and capacity building inspired by Messengers of Peace goals.

Hussein Marzouqui – Jordan

Coordinator of the Messengers of Peace Date Project.

Bako Almoktar – Niger

He has been very instrumental in spearheading numerous local initiatives that are geared at changing his community and implemented by the Scouts under the Messenger of Peace umbrella. To me, he stands out above the rest of the team in the recent past. As a doctor, he commits his time to support local communities in need spreading the message of Peace as one of his drivers.

Amir El Mikati – Lebanon

Messenger of Peace Coordinator from Lebanon and strong supporter of the development of local projects rising funds locally to support people in need.

2014 Messengers of Peace Heroes

Ali Ali Algarmouzy – Yemen

Ali - Ali has been leading an MOP project in extreme risk conditions, supporting refugee families in the border of Yemen. Affected by severe war conflict, populations in several villages in the border of Yemen have been targeted with bomb assaults in schools and city buildings. Through MoP projects, scouts and youth have received training to detect bombs in civil buildings, especially schools. With the support of local experts and combined with scout and leadership activities, scouts are also supporting affected families with stress management.

Nare Khlghatyan – Armenia

Messengers of Peace National Coordinator in Armenia. Since 2013 has been promoting MOP aim in the field and within the country. With the maximum number of projects from all the NSO’s in Eurasia Region. She is now preparing a new effort to build a wider team to expand the network.

Scout Association Serbia – Serbia/Croatia/Bosnia and Herzegovina 

(WOSM Europe/Belgrade/Sarajevo and Zagreb) – High floods in late spring seem to strike parts of Europe with a frightening regularity these days. While many regions along the Danube, Elbe and Vltava rivers suffered most last year, the last day’s cities in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia saw large parts of its near villages affected by torrential rains and subsequent high waters, in many places beating the record heights measured for more than 100 years! Volunteers from the National Scout Organizations (NSO) in the three countries affected, engaged in relief efforts individually in several cities and villages. Scouts contributed to help people out of flooded houses, joined Red Cross in the effort of bringing supplies to people affected and later, scouts in different areas organized recovery actions to allow people to reach back to their homes. Djordje Krstic, In representation of Scouts of Serbia Josip Kos, In representation of Scouts of Croatia Sanda Putica, In representation of Scouts of Bosnia-Herzegovina

Madhu Sudan Avala – India

Messengers of Peace National team member, he has been a key element to promote and support the growing local network in India, allowing Scouts and leaders to receive direct support through online resource for their local promotion. Currently he is leading the efforts to organize MOP trainings in each province to reach scouts and youth in pubic system with the motivation towards Scouts and Messengers of Peace.

Marie Louise Ycossie – Ivory Coast

Appointed as MOP Coordinator in 2012, she contributed to her NSO mainly through training and mentoring more Youth that has enhanced to the high visibility in the media and social impact of Scouting in Cote d’Ivoire. She positioned her NSO as one of the most active in the MoP Network in West Africa. She regularly shared stories on MoP actions through Kudu mail to motivate and inspire other youth the Region. First resource person MoP Ambassador who went outside her NSO to support (training) Central Africa as well as her West Africa zonal youth Forum. She shared her experience and supports them in the establishment of MOP in theirs OSN Also; she represented the Africa Scout Region during the International. Conference on “Youth Volunteering and Dialogue”, held in Jeddah in 2013.

Trees for the World Project – (Orange team ILT-MOP Interamerica)

A worldwide project started by a group of scout friends from 11 countries, in their effort to develop community service initiatives. Inspired by the ILT MoP training, these young leaders shared their initiative in social media and direct invitation from scout-to-scout to join the effort. After a couple of months more than 33 countries in 6 regions were engaged, developing their own local campaigns. Between April 26th and September 27th – 2014, more than 66,000 trees were planted by Cubs, scouts, Venturers, Rovers and Scout Leaders; united with a common goal to create peace through environmental action. https://www.facebook.com/TreesForTheWorld?fref=ts

Special Nomination Messengers of Peace Heroes

Nabeel Baydoun – Lebanon

Chairman of Lebanese Scout Federation and coordinator of the project "My Tent is your Tent". Since 2013, Scouts from Lebanon have been working to support the integration of thousands of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, as well as helping towards improving their well-being and living conditions within the country. Working closely with the national authorities and local communities, Lebanese Scouts have focused on the basic needs of families fleeing the war in neighboring Syria; providing winter supplies, warm clothing and helping the children in particular to feel at home in their new communities. With more than 2 million refugees fleeing Syria, and some 840,000 in Lebanon, local Scouts have been extremely dedicated volunteers doing vital and outstanding work throughout the country. And in order to support their operational actions and young leaders training, Messengers of Peace Support Fund handed over extra resources that will enable Scouts and local communities to help create a better world for all Syrian refugees. http://scout.org/node/33898 http://scout.org/node/31456#overlay-context=node/30322

Bray Barnes – United States

10,000 Scouts from across the US State of New Jersey became Messengers of Peace during the Camporee held in Sea Girt, NJ over the weekend of May 16-18, 2014. Hosted by the New Jersey State Police and National Guard, Scouts were able to earn their Messengers of Peace Ring badge by conducting local service projects in advance of the Camporee, and by participating in a variety of local and onsite activities related to peace and service. Special thanks to BSA Volunteers Bray Barnes and Peter Hyman key actors in the organization to promote community service, and the New Jersey State Police Eagle Scout Association, for an outstanding and inspirational event! http://scout.org/node/30925

Joseph Vitale – United States

Eagle Scout. He raised fund to build a three-classroom facility, with a small library within each classroom, which serves over 100 kids in Guatemala. Each year students have the opportunity to improve their education through the 6th grade. This provides the children with a new opportunity to learn in a safe and clean environment as opposed to a one room wooden shack they previously had.

S. Prassana – Asia Pacific Regional Coordinator

Messengers of Peace Regional coordinator in Asia Pacific region, advancing the network in more than 25 countries accumulating more than 1000 service projects and more than 500 million service hours. He is inspiring with his energy and result oriented style all our Messengers of Peace coordinators in Asia-Pacific Region, he also has contributed to set various network standards and good practices in the management of MOP fund and network for Asia Pacific region and for the global approach of MoP.

Paul Browne and Mike Loder – Ireland

Scout Leaders for more than 40 years, Paul Browne and Mike Loder took part in one of the several efforts of scouting to build peace in a divided country. Belfast in the early 1970’s was a difficult place to live – minority families in mixed communities were burned and bullied out of their homes, barricades were built preventing one community from encroaching on the other. Murders, bombings and intimidation were commonplace. Mike Loder and Paul Browne were Scout Leaders from groups on each side of the sectarian divide in a tense Belfast. They strongly believed that their responsibility to their Scouts included helping to develop tolerance and understanding. They knew that if progress was to be made, people had to meet, prejudices had to be challenged, and friendships had to be forged. They knew this could put their own lives at risk, but they knew it was worth it. Mike and Paul continue their pioneering work today and represent the many people around the world who ‘take the first step’ and offer the hand of friendship to others, it is always the beginning of the Peace journey.

2013 Messengers of Peace Heroes

Felipe Garavito – Colombia

Joined the Messengers of Peace Network as a volunteer, after the Regional Jamboree held in Colombia in January, at that time he was the leader of the service project module of the event, which provided 3 families with new houses builder by scouts. The constructive system and know how support came from the Catalina Munoz Foundation and the Colombia Scouts Association raised the funds. Inspired by the Messengers of Peace aim, during 2013 Felipe Garavito is also leading the project “100 years, 100 dreams, 100 homes” engaging Scouts and national contributors to raise funds in order to provide with houses to 100 families. To build the house, the family contributes with the building of the constructive basis, Catalina Munoz provides the technical support, local contributors sponsor the house materials and Scouts build the house for the family. This project also commemorates the centenary of the Scouts of Colombia.

Nelson Ochieng Opany – Kenya

Scouting for Peaceful Elections in Kenya (SPEK) is a project of Messengers of Peace (MoP) Kenya Network. It aims to engage young people in Scouting in actions that fight tribalism, promote peace and alleviate human suffering before, during and after the general elections. The project shall make young people the center of focus in spreading the message of peace alongside addressing other social, economic and humanitarian concerns that have a direct effect on peace and stability. http://scoutmessengers.org/en/project/view/828#.Uf75SxmWk5s Nelson also has promoted the MOP network in Kenya, organizing national trainings and workshops, leading and supporting scout projects and talking about MOP in with other institutions.

Atta Verin – Indonesia

Prabuhi is a literary project involving young scouts as volunteers spending their time to support illiterate and blind people with reading. Scouts engage with Prabuhi project to spend at least one hour a week to read in elderly homes, at particular houses or to people in the streets. The purpose is to allow people to have access to literature world for their own personal development or enjoyment. “This is considered as an important task, because we believe that lack of information leads to so many difficulties and obstacles in life. To make our community well informed as much as we can be our goal.” The project started as an individual service action, gathering now more than 3,000 volunteers across the country. http://scoutmessengers.org/en/project/view/742#.Uf8K6BmWk5s

Sophie Castillo – Philippines

In 2005 Ticket to Life program started as an opportunity to provide street kids with a new opportunity to get an education and to participate as members of the Scouts program. Sophie Castillo a professional scout and Scout Leader has been the driver of life changing stories with street kids involved in Scouts program. Since 2005 and until the present several groups in the Philippines have been created under Ticket to life concept and other countries in the Philippines and Africa are replicating the same model to support street kids in their local communities.

Umit Savas Baran – Turkey

One of the most active Messengers of Peace reporters from Europe Network, he’s been sharing past and present experiences of scouts in Turkey, allowing the global community to learn and exchange knowledge and ideas. He’s been in scouting for several years already and still active. With more than 111 projects uploaded into scout.org (previously scoutmessengers.org) he is inspiring the global community youth and adult leaders to increase the use of social media to promote scouting around the world.

Irina Pruidze – Georgia

Born in Tbilisi, Georgia in 1976. With studies in Medicine at Tbilisi State Medical University and Psychology at Tbilisi Institute of Anthropology and Political Science and a vast experience in project management. She is a Secretary General of Georgian Organization of the Scout Movement, transferring all her knowledge and experience to develop capacity in National Scout Organization as well as to volunteers to develop various service projects after the war conflict in Georgia. National Scout organization is one of few addressing dialogue and skills development issues within underprivileged youth. They are a regional leader and example in organizational and management capacity.

Guadalupe Sanmateu – Spain

Members of WAGGS since young age, she’s been one of the drivers of Messengers of Peace Network in social media, supporting with her expertise and knowledge to boost Scouts call of action to integrate service efforts at local level with the help of social media. Communicator by profession she trained and coached several national

Jameel Fallatah – Saudi Arabia

Key supporter from Saudi Arabian Scout to develop the Messengers of Peace Network within the Arab Region, he’s been driving the Messengers of Peace Network development hand in hand with Prince Faisal from Saudi Arabia. He supports world events and workshops in all the regions to share the message of Peace and call of action.

2011 Messengers of Peace Heroes

Rabbi Peter Hyman – United States

Rabbi Peter Hyman Messengers of Peace National Coordinator to spread the Peace message across the country with the Boy Scouts of America. Rabbi Peter E. Hyman, MAHL, DD, is the spiritual leader of Temple B'nai Israel. A native of Connecticut, Rabbi Hyman has a passion for teaching, a deep love of Torah and a commitment to share the wisdom and beauty of Judaism with all those he encounters. About MOP he said “…even though Scouts have been doing service projects for more than 100 years, the good part about the Messengers of Peace Program is it gives Scouts an opportunity to see what other Scouts from around the world are doing as service projects, and the social media part of it gets people involved to where they can see they’re not the only ones working toward a goal of making the world a better place"

Collie Kavanagh – Ireland

Scout since his childhood, he is one of the contributors and creators of the very first concept of Messengers of Peace as a second phase to boost the impact of Gifts for Peace Initiative. Program Director in Scouting Ireland, his vast experience in designing educative resources and content for youth is now a key resource in the development of Messengers of Peace program and network around the world. He leads the creation of scoutmessengers.org later merged with scout.org He is still supporting the definition of MOP global strategy and the advancement of Network across countries.