Happy Founder's Day!
Every year on this day, our Scouting family is reminded of the strong force behind our global Movement. As we celebrate the birthday of our founder, Robert Baden-Powell, we also celebrate his lasting vision to empower young people with the skills and opportunities to reach their full potential, while working together to create a better world.
What started as an idea has evolved into a worldwide movement of 54 million Scouts, united by one Promise, a set of shared values, and a unique educational experience that prepares young people to take care of each other and serve their communities.
Baden-Powell once said that we should “try to leave this world a little better than you found it,” and over the past year we have seen so many shining examples of Scouts working to improve the places they call home. Scouts have now contributed more than 2 billion hours of community service towards peace and sustainable development around the world - an incredible achievement that reminds us all of Scouting’s impact on the development of young people and communities across the globe.
Withstanding major historical events and global changes in the last century, our Movement has remained resilient, innovative and focused on enabling more young people to be a force for good. Throughout this global pandemic, we have seen millions of Scouts and Scout volunteers going above and beyond to serve their communities in times of need. And we have witnessed National Scout Organizations quickly adapting and innovating their Youth Programmes to continue to offer Scouting to young people at home and online.
As we embark on a critical year, the young people we serve will continue to be affected by the societal, health and educational impacts of the pandemic. In response, we have launched a new Global Youth Mobilization together with the Big 6 Youth Organizations and the World Health Organization that will support young people and youth organisations who are leading local pandemic response and recovery efforts.
Looking ahead, the leadership of our Movement will gather for the first-ever virtual World Scout Conference and Youth Forum in August, and use the opportunity to explore how we can continue innovating to make Scouting relevant in today’s modern world. As a Movement committed to creating opportunities for young people and building a more sustainable and peaceful world, we approach this year with a renewed resolve to support and strengthen Scouting’s educational offering for more young people.
This Founder’s Day, let us remember the progress our Movement has made for more than a century, and celebrate the power of young people and the commitment of our volunteers that has enabled our global family to grow and broaden its impact.
Wishing you all a happy Founder’s Day!
Craig Turpie
Chairperson
World Scout Committee
Ahmad Alhendawi
Secretary General
World Organization of the Scout Movement