Network Meeting of the "Lisbon Group" Concluded in Milano (Italy)

Over the last weekend in March 2014, some fifty Scout and Guide Leaders from nine different National Scout Organisations of WOSM and Member Organisations of WAGGGS came together in Milan in northern Italy at the Spring meeting of the "Lisbon Group", which is an informal network of Scout and Guide associations of European countries, where the languages is rooted in Latin (BE, CH, ES, FR, IT, LU, PT, RO and SM). Guest included representatives of the Europe Committee WAGGGS, the European Scout Committee, the World Committee WAGGGS and the World Scout Committee.

The meetings of the "Lisbon Group" (so called, because the first of its meetings was held in the capital city of Portugal) regularly offer a welcome informal setting for exchanges of experiences and challenges as well as discussions of matters of mutual interest. This time, the upcoming World Conferences of WAGGGS (in Hong Kong, China, in July 2014) and WOSM (in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in August) were in the focus of debates. Another theme was related to WAGGGS, WOSM and joint activities in the two European Regions.

Under the motto "Leadership" a series of workshops and small group activities gave an opportunity to discuss some concrete actions in more detail, in particular around the question of how best to put theory into practice.

Several candidates for election to the World Scout Committee and the WAGGGS World Board were in attendance and used formal and informal moments to engage in exchanges with participants, explaining their individual motivations, visions, skills and expectations.

The Federazione Italiana dello Scautismo was an excellent host, with social activities including a special tour into the history and life of the city of Milan and the surrounding Lombardy province. To everybody's surprise, the tour also included a short visit of the "Fà la cosa giusta!"-Fair (Do the right thing!), where the two Italian associations AGESCI and CNGEI were present with exhibition stands.

As part of their internal business, the "Lisbon Group" accepted an offer from the Federação Escotista de Portugal and the Associação Guias de Portugal to have its next meeting in Lisbon this coming autumn.

(c) image: Federazione Italiana dello Scautismo 2014