10th Africa Scout Youth Forum kicks off in Madagascar with a call for peace and youth leadership
The 10th Africa Scout Youth Forum opened on a high note in Antananarivo, Madagascar, on 14 September 2025, gathering more than 60 young people from 31 countries across the continent. Guided by the theme “Living Together for Peace”, the forum takes place at a time when many African communities continue to grapple with conflict, insecurity, and forced displacement, challenges that disproportionately affect young people.
The Youth Forum is providing a timely space for reflection, dialogue, and collective action, with delegates showing strong enthusiasm and determination to shape the future of Scouting in Africa. The first day set an energetic pace and the opening session led by the Youth Advisors to the Africa Scout Committee, set the tone for meaningful engagement.
A dynamic panel on leadership challenged participants to think beyond titles and to take bold steps to secure their place at decision-making tables where the future is shaped. The practical session on drafting resolutions further equipped them with the tools to translate ideas into concrete recommendations for the upcoming 19th Africa Scout Conference.
More than just a gathering, the Africa Scout Youth Forum is a space for learning, inspiration, and influence. It represents Scouting’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that young people are not only heard but are actively shaping the Movement’s direction.
The opening ceremony captured the spirit of the forum, vibrant, youthful, and forward-looking. Addressing the delegates during the opening ceremony, Chair of the Youth Forum Faruk Oumarou Hamidou Soumana underscored the importance of youth leadership in shaping both Scouting and society, while the Regional Director Africa, World Organisation of the Scout Movement, Frederic Kama-Kama, officially opened the event. In his address, the Regional Director reaffirmed the World Scout Bureau’s strategy of empowering young people, urging delegates to engage in bold, solution-driven conversations and to stand as voices of reason and hope across the continent.
The forum runs until 16 September 2025, and over the next few days, delegates will elect six new Youth Advisors to the Africa Scout Committee who will serve a three-year term alongside the Africa Scout Committee, ensuring youth perspectives remain at the heart of decision-making. They will also craft recommendations to be presented at the 19th Africa Scout Conference, which is starting on 18 September in Antananarivo, Madagascar, marking the next step in shaping the future of Scouting in Africa.
With energy, purpose, and a shared commitment to peace, the Youth Forum has already begun laying the groundwork for transformative youth-led impact across Africa.