World Scouting News

38th World Scout Conference – Summary

The 38th World Scout Conference was held 14-18 July 2008 on Jeju Island, Korea. It was attended by 1189 participants from 150 countries. Hosted by the Korea Scout Association, The Conference was officially opened opened by Dr. Han Seung-soo, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea.

Aside from the official sessions and workshops, participants had the opportunity to take part in a varied evening programme and an educational tour of Jeju Island on the Wednesday afternoon.

Japan to host 23rd World Scout Jamboree in 2015

11.30am Jeju Island, 17 July 2008 - Japan has just won the bid to host the 23rd World Scout Jamboree in 2015. Announced just a few minutes ago in the Plenary Hall at ICC Jeju on Jeju Island at the 38th World Scout Conference, Japan was ecstatic to hear the results with the Chairman of the bidding committee, Mr. Osamu Hirose saying: We are very happy and we are sure that the Jamboree will be a very good opportunity to educate young people, and also very good chance to show how Scouts around the world are creating a better world.

The Jamboree will be located on Kirarahama or Kirara Beach in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The Japanese word "kirara" means mica: Kirara Beach offers a beautiful landscape in front of which the Seto Inland Sea glitters in the sunlight just like mica.

38th World Scout Conference News

14 July 2008 - The first day of the 38th World Scout Conference on Jeju Island, Korea has been a great success. Hosted by the Korea Scout Association, the World Scout Conference is the governing body, the "general assembly" of Scouting, and is composed of all the members of the Organisation: the National Scout Organizations. This particular triennial event is likely to be the largest, as the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) now consists of 160 member NSOs.

Youth Advisors to World Scout Committee elected in Korea

The participants of the 10th World Scout Youth Forum have marked a historic moment when electing the Youth Advisors to the World Scout Committee for the period 2008 to 2011. From the six elected Youth Advisors, four of which are young women. This is the first time that an election at the world level has resulted in the majority of positions being held by females, which demonstrates support for the Strategic Priotity of involving girls, boys, women and men in all levels of decision making in Scouting.

World Scout Committee Election Results

The 38th World Scout Conference in Korea has just announced the new members of the World Scout Committee. For 6 year terms, they are the following (in alphabetical order):
Mr. Eric Khoo Heng-Pheng (Malaysia)
Mr. Wahid Labidi (Tunisia)
Mr. John May (United Kingdom)
Mr. John Neysmith (Canada)
Mr. Oscar Palmquist (Brazil)
Mr. Simon Rhee (Korea)
For a 3 year term:
Mr. William F. “Rick” Cronk (USA)

World Scouting Launches World Environment Education Programme at Korea Conference

Jeju Island, Korea - 14 July 2008: Scouts from all over the world have traveled to Jeju Island, Korea to attend the 38th World Scouting Conference, which begins today. During this ‘General Assembly’ of Scouting – taking place from July 14 – 18 – delegates of all National Scout Organizations will discuss and decide on a wide range of topics and projects important to Scouting. Among these topics is the launch of the new World Scout Environment Programme developed with support of the Alcoa Foundation.

Scout takes part in Junior G8 Summit 2008

Koné Tilomian Danoubié, 17, who is a member of Catholic Scouts of Côte d’Ivoire took part in the Junior G8 summit (J8), which was held in Japan from 1-10 July. He was able to participate thanks to the support of the UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire.

The summit brought together 274 young people between the ages of 14-17 from developing countries, to exchange ideas and share knowledge on issues relating to climate change, poverty, and global health.

The Kandersteg Adrenaline Experience

The ‘KISC Adrenaline Experience’ will take place in the Centre from August 31st to 7th of September.

If you want a week of High Adventure with like minded people, this event is for you! This week is a perfect way to finish your summer on a high altitude note, and make some new international friends!

To take part in the week you must:

Be over 18
Have a good fitness level
Be ready to try new activities
Have CHF 674- *(Euro 420)

10th World Scout Youth Forum officially opens!

More than 160 Scouts from over 85 countries have come together at Wonkwang University, Iksan, in Korea, for the first day of the 10th World Scout Youth Forum. Full of energy and enthusiasm, the participants have already begun to share stories and to make new friends.

World Scouting membership rises to 160 National Scout Organizations

It is a pleasure to announce the WOSM membership of four National Scout Organizations as from today, 1 July 2008: National Association of Cambodian Scouts (NACS); Association of Scouts of Montenegro; Scouts of Syria; National Organization of Scouts of Ukraine (NOSU). This brings the total number of Member Organizations of WOSM to 160.

A warm welcome into the World Scouting family is extended to all the youth and adult members of these four NSOs. We look forward to their participation at the World Scout Conference in Korea in the coming weeks, where they will receive their membership certificates.

Triennial Report: 2005-2008

Every three years, the governing body of World Scouting meets to evaluate the recent past and consider the future. Since 1922, this sequence of meetings has mapped out the destiny of a unique movement for young people. The projection of the Scout Movement towards the future depends on a universal vision, the legacy of Baden-Powell: to create a better world. One year after the Centenary of Scouting, the World Scout Conference can look towards the horizon with a pioneering spirit and people who know where they are starting from and are moving forward fearlessly to prepare new ground.

Download the Report

Iowa Boy Scouts Camp

The World Scouting family is deeply saddened by the horrific impact of the devastating storms that tore through western Iowa this last week. The World Scout Committee, the World Scout Bureau and World Scouting at large extend their deepest condolences to the Boy Scouts of America and to the parents and families of Scouts Josh Fennen, Sam Thomsen, Ben Petrzilka and Aaron Eilerts who lost their lives while learning how to better serve others. They also extend their sincerest gratitude to the leaders, Scouts, and emergency personnel who responded so quickly and effectively and their moral support to the young people and adults injured and to their families.

May the souls of these four young Scouts who died rest in peace.

BSA Website

World Day Against Child Labour - 12 June

The ILO has estimated that some 165 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 are involved in child labour. Many of these children work long hours, often in dangerous conditions. This year the World Day against Child Labour will be marked around the world with activities to raise awareness that Education is the right response to child labour. World Scouting, as the largest global youth movement which prides itself on its strong history of non-formal education, is encouraged to get involved and draw attention to the key issues related to Child Labour.

The Scout Association of Maldives receives the prestigious 'Green Leaf Award'

The Scout Association of Maldives has received the “Green Leaf” award, the most prestigious award in recognition to the outstanding work undertaken towards protection and preservation of environment on the celebration of the World Environment Day this year.

Sudan adopts new brand for their national logo

The Sudan Boy Scout Association (SBSA) launched their new brand this week which is based on the World Scouting brand logo. The event coincided with the National Scout Conference which took place in Khartoum from June 5-8, 2008 under the motto "Education for Peace".

The launching of new brand was attended by the Sudanese Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Mohamed Abuzaid Mustapha; Regional Director, Dr.Atif Abdelmageed; The Chairman of SBSA, Mr. Saeed Ibrahim; Board of Directors Members and a number of the Partners’ Representatives. Mr. Saeed Ibrahim expressed his thanks to the Communications & Media Team at the World Scout Bureau for all their valuable assistance and extensive cooperation in the design of their new brand.

Workshops on Youth Programme and Scouting's Profile at the World Scout Conference

On Sunday, 13th of July, four workshops chaired by members of the World Scout Committee and Educational Methods Committee will take place in advance of the World Scout Conference in Korea. These Workshops will take place at the Conference Centre from 14.00-17.00. While three of the workshops will be on Youth Programme, one will be on Scouting's Profile (Strategic Priority 7).

Significant progress has been made in each of the areas covered by the workshops on Sunday, which will be reported at the Conference. With active participation from National Scout Organizations we are anticipating detailed discussions on the specific topics during these workshops.

Study shows that volunteering should be better recognised

Governments should recognise volunteering as a legitimate job-seeking activity, according to a report into young adult volunteering published this week in the United Kingdom.

The Morgan Inquiry, supported by The UK Scout Association, includes recommendations for a flexible day off to encourage volunteering, an ‘industry standard’ award scheme to acknowledge skills developed through volunteering and better signposting of voluntary opportunities.

Global Citizenship Education - A unique study of World Scouting

Barcelona, Spain based Eduard Vallory has just completed his two-year doctoral research on 'World Scouting as a global citizenship builder', as a Research Fellow (2004-06) of Fitzwilliam College - University of Cambridge. His remarkable thesis titled 'Global Citizenship Education – Study of the ideological bases, historical development, international dimension, and values and practices of World Scouting' is available in both English and Catalan.

Dr. Jacques Moreillon, former Secretary General of the World Organization for the Scout Movement (WOSM) pinpointed its relevance and contributions during his comments as part of the thesis committee: “This thesis is not just exceptional, it is unique. Unique because it is the first ever written academic study on World Scouting, both in its origin, evolution and globality. The only other work that has endeavoured to give an idea of the history and contents of World Scouting has been Laszlo Nagy's "250 million Scouts", but it was not - nor did it pretend to be - a comprehensive academic study”.

Global environmental volunteering gets a boost ahead of World Environment Day

26 May 2008 - Volunteering to improve the environment has been given a significant boost following the announcement today that up to 28 million Scouts in 156 countries will take part in community based environmental initiatives as part of a new alliance with the global Clean Up the World campaign.

Scouts will play a vital role in protecting the environment for future generations following today’s announcement that the World Organization of the Scout Movement has formed an alliance with the Clean Up the World campaign.

The new relationship announced today in Australia by the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Volunteering Sector, Senator Ursula Stephens, Clean Up the World Chairman and Founder Ian Kiernan AO* and Scouts Australia Chief Commissioner John Ravenhall AM*, will add substantial volunteering power to Clean Up the World, already mobilising an estimated 35 million people each year.

The Scouts of the World Award: News from the world

Imagine an ongoing international opportunity to enter into the real adventure of today's world: protecting the environment, working for development, challenging ethnic and nationalistic prejudices and building peace within and between communities; in one thought, contributing to making the world a better place.

All this and more is currently happening through the efforts of thousands of Rovers from all over the world that are working in their Scouts of the World Award.

More and more countries have adopted and implemented this world initiative within their programme for the Rover section. Here is some news from all corners of the globe: