All World Scouting News

National centenary celebrations kick-off in Malta

Maltese Scouts and Girl Guides took the streets of Valletta by storm on Sunday 5th May, as they paraded through the capital for their ninth joint annual parade. This year's event holds particular significance to the Scout Association of Malta, which is celebrating its national centenary.

Some 4,500 Scouts and Guides, music blaring and drums booming, brought cheer to the city, which is usually quiet on a Sunday morning.

ARO: New communication strategy

In April 2008, the Africa Regional Office (ARO) completed a new communication strategy for Scouting in Africa for the 2008 – 2011 triennium. ARO's Communications Unit proposed the 11-Point master plan in a bid to address communication issues in the region.

World AIDS Orphans Day

World AIDS Orphans Day will occur on 7 May. More than 25 million children worldwide have lost one or both parents to AIDS – equivalent to the number of people living in New York, Paris, Rome and Bangkok combined. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 12 million children have been orphaned by the pandemic. In addition to being especially vulnerable to all forms of exploitation, these children face financial difficulties, disease, and stigmatisation.

Memoria Fotográfica de Campamentos Escolares Verano 2008

Como una forma de presentar los alcances de la ejecución de los proyectos realizados durante el verano de este año, Oficina Scout Mundial preparó una memoria fotográfica de los momentos más importantes vividos por los niños y jóvenes que participaron del Programa de Campamentos Recreativos Escolares, desarrollado en el Centro Scout Mundial Picarquín entre el 3 de enero y el 7 de febrero.

Scouts Australia receives award for 'International Understanding & Peace'

The ANZAC Peace Prize, announced annually, is awarded by the Returned and Services League (RSL) to ‘recognise any outstanding effort by an Australian citizen who has promoted the concept of international understanding and who, in so doing, has made a contribution to world peace.’ The RSL ANZAC Awards Committee has awarded the 2008 ANZAC Peace Prize to Scouts Australia. 2008 is the Year of the Scout and marks the centenary of Scouting in Australia. The award of the ANZAC Peace Prize recognises the part that Scouting has played in the development of two million Australians over the past 100 years, both as individuals and as citizens.

2011, European Year of Volunteering

On Wednesday 9th April, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), Marian Harkin (IE), Gisela Kallenbach (DE), Emmanouil Angelakas (GR), Mieczyslaw Janowski (PL) and Joel Hasse Ferreira (PT) launched a written declaration in the Parliament to propose 2011 be designated the European Year of Volunteering. If it is adopted it will make a significant contribution to the campaign to have the year designated.

Gone Home: Uganda's Chief Scout, Hon. Manuel Pinto

On Monday 14 April 2008, Uganda's former Chief Scout, Hon. Manuel Pinto passed away at Nsambya Hospital where he was taken after being involved in a car accident. He was a Bronze Wolf holder and served as the Chairman of the Africa Scout Committee. He was born on 25 December 1938. A former Member of Parliament, Manuel Pinto, left parliament to become the Director of the Parliamentary Professional Development Unit. He was a renown debater in parliament who served on various commissions and statutory committees in Uganda.

Gone Home: Uganda's Chief Scout, Hon. Manuel Pinto

Moving Forward - A European Conversation

Over 50 representatives from associations across Europe gathered in Frankfurt, Germany, over the weekend of 4-6 April.
Entitled 'Moving Forward - A European Conversation' this special gathering was convened to provide a space for associations to discuss their concerns and hopes for the future of WOSM. It was also seen as a useful stepping stone towards the 38th World Scout Conference.

Cooperation between German and Rwandan Scouts

During the month of January, 2008 the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Horst Köhler, with his wife Eva Luise, visited Rwanda. One of the members of the presidential delegation was Saskia Scholten of the German Saint Goerge Scout Association (DPSG). She spoke about the plans of this Scout association for Rwanda.

Asia-Pacific Region releases three more publications

The Asia-Pacific Region is proud to introduce latest publications:

To get a copy, email

SCENES Centres Meeting Focuses on Environment

A seminar was held at Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) for SCENES (Scout Centres of Excellence for Nature and Environment) Centres from around the world in preparation for the re-launch at the World Scout Conference this July in Korea.

UN World Youth Report launched in Geneva

Geneva, 3 April 2008 - Youth are a powerful resource for development and are critical actors in the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals. This was one of the key messages of the World Youth Report 2007, which was presented in Geneva on 3 April 2008 at an event hosted by the CONGO Committee of Youth NGOs which is currently chaired by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). The event was also attended by representatives of international youth organisations and UN agencies.

Burkina Faso’s Minister of Youth opens the Regional Communication Forum

On Wednesday April 2, 2008, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Youth and Employment, Hon. Justin Kouataba, officially opened the Regional Communication Forum . The ceremony took place at Notre Dame de Lorette in Ouagadougou. Also present were, Hon. Salif Sawadogo, the Minister for the environment and Mr. Seydou Zagre, Permanent Secretary in the office of the Speaker of the Assembly.

Burkina Faso’s Minister of Youth opens the Regional Communication Forum

Regional team heads for Indonesia for CNV mission

Regional Scout Committee members John Ravenhall and Mr Prakorb Mukura joined with Regional Director Abdullah Rasheed for Indonesia from 17th to 19th March 2008 for its first Committee NSO Visit (CNV).

First conference preparatory meeting held

The first preparatory meeting of the 23rd APR Scout Conference held from 24-25 March 2008 in Kuala Lumpur with the presence of the key people both from the regional office and the host National Scout Organization.

Algerian Scouts Get Active for the Environment

In conjunction with the Forest Services, the Scouts Musulmans Algériens, Tlemcen Department, carried out a range of environmental activities during March 2008. More than 300 Scouts from different Scout groups took part in tree planting, cleaning up their local environment and environmental education activities.

Africa celebrates 13th March - Africa Scout Day

On Thursday 13th March 2008, the Scout fraternity from various corners of Africa, marked the Africa Scout Day. 13th March is a day that was set aside by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, OAU – a predecessor of the African Union (AU) – during its 62nd Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia on 21st – 23rd June 1995. This was in recognition of the role of Scouting in educating Africa's youth.

Africa Regional Director, Rubina Haroon, delivers a keynote address at a Canadian varsity

On Tuesday, March 11, 2008, the Africa Regional Director, Ms Rubina Haroon, made a keynote presentation at the University College of the Fraser Valley, at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium in Abbotsford, Canada. She was speaking at a forum that attempted to explore children and youth issues in Africa and Canada. The theme of this symposium was: 'Cities for Children and Youth - Child and Youth Friendly Development in Canada and Africa'

APR annual Management Meeting concludes

Chaired by the regional volunteers consist of Regional Chairman Jejomar C. Binay with Management and Financial Resources Sub-Committees Chairmen Mr Chandrasena Batuwangala and Mr Horace Ho Man-kit, the annual APR Management meeting held on 10th to 11th March 2008 in Makati City, Philippines, has concluded productively achieving great results from the series of discussions made.

Jim Kastelic is ARO's new Youth Programme Director

Jim Kastelic has recently joined the Africa Regional Office (ARO) of the World Scout Bureau as the new Youth Programme Director. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA) on February 5, 1954. He joined the Scout Movement as a Cub in 1961 and became, until today, the Group Scout Leader at 1st Tsumeb in 1989.

International Women's Day

Every year, women of the world are celebrated and empowered, and awareness is raised on gender issues, on International Women's Day (IWD), on the 8th of March. World Scouting, which offers equal opportunities to girls and boys, women and men, and takes an active position on gender issues, wishes to encourage such an important day.
To mark IWD this year, World Scouting has participated in the 52nd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, and 'Celebrating Women' in Geneva.

Training Scout Leaders on Environmental Issues

The Alcoa Foundation has been supporting the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in the development of the new World Scout Environment Programme. Part of this development involves WOSM supporting several National Scout Organizations directly to enhance their national environment programmes.

The Hungarian Scout Association is one of the focal countries and they recently held the first weekend course in Environmental Leader Training in the Scout Centre of Csobánka, Hungary from 15-17 February 2008.

French-speaking Africa: Regional Communication Forum

A regional Communication Forum will be held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 2nd to 5th April 2008, with French as the medium of training. Participants will arrive latest Tuesday evening, April 1st and will remain until Saturday 5th April 2008. The Forum will be held at the Centre d'Accueil Notre Dame de Lorette des Frères de la Sainte Famille.

First Ever World Scout Winter Games held at KISC!

This weekend was a very exciting one in Kandersteg when the first ever World Scout Winter Games were held at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC), Switzerland. The three day event, based in the Swiss Alps, was the first of its kind, bringing together 9 teams of Scouts from 8 different countries to compete in a number of winter activities. The disciplines included were Cross Country Skiing, Curling, Slalom Racing, Synchronised Skiing and a Triathlon.

19-year-old Scout makes it to the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro

On 13th February 2008, Cecilia Njoroge, a Rover Scout from Powellnet Rover Crew, Kajiado District, Kenya, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. She was one the 9 climbers who made it to the highest point, known as Uhuru Peak (5,685 metres), out of a team of 35 persons.

Announcement to National Scout Organizations

As had been planned for some time, the World Scout Committee met in Geneva from 29 February - 2 March 2008.

At its opening session on Friday afternoon, following consultation with other members of the Committee, the Chairman Herman Hui announced his intention to resign both as Chairman and as a Member of the Committee, effective immediately. The World Scout Committee, with deep regret, accepted this resignation.

New branding for South African Scouting

The South African Scout Association unveiled its new branding on 24 February 2008. The new design is based on the World Scout brand logo, which makes it the first National Scout Organization to adopt it as their National brand.

The Association's website has been re-launched with the new branding, and it will also be used on letterheads and signage.

The 4th Zonal Conference of West Africa held in Niger

The 4th Zonal Conference and the 4th Zonal Youth Forum of West Africa took place in Niamey, Niger, from the 16th to 18th February 2008, at the Village de la Francophonie.
The official opening ceremony took place at the Palais des Arts, and was presided by the Minister for Youth and Sports, who was in the company of other Government officials, Ambassadors, representatives of international and national NGOs, former Scouts, members of the National Council of Association des Scouts du Niger.