$50 million in renewed Messengers of Peace funding to increase impact of Scouting worldwide
- The agreement aims to inspire and encourage more than 100 million Scouts to act as Messengers of Peace in 176 countries.
- Builds on a 15-year legacy of successful collaboration to enable young peace-builders to take action as global citizens.
Scouts worldwide are excited with the renewal of a ground-breaking $50 million Messengers of Peace Fund that will support actions worldwide over the next decade. Funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this partnership will enhance Scouting’s core educational programmes, strengthen the capacity of National Scout Organizations, and inspire a global culture of peace through community service.
The transformative Messengers of Peace agreement was signed at the Human Capability Initiative event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 13 April and builds on more than 15 years of collaboration between World Scouting and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Messengers of Peace connects with the priorities of Saudi Vision 2030, and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through developing innovative youth leadership, peace education, sustainability, and active citizenship.
The Messengers of Peace Fund agreement was signed between HE Yousef bin Abdullah al-Benyan, Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and President of the Saudi Arabian Scout Association, and Siegfried Weiser, Board Member and Chair of the Messengers of Peace Oversight Committee of the World Scout Foundation.
The agreement was signed in the presence of the World Scout Foundation Executive Committee, HH Princess Sama Bint Faisal Al Saud, Board Member of the World Scout Foundation, HE Faisal bin Abdulrahman I. Almuaammar, Board Member of the World Scout Foundation, and Mark Knippenberg, CEO and Board Member of the World Scout Foundation. World Scouting’s leadership was represented by Daniël Corsen, Chairperson of the World Scout Committee, Christine Pollithy, Member of the World Scout Committee, and David Berg, Acting Secretary General of World Scouting. A delegation of World Scout Bureau staff and Messengers of Peace Heroes also attended the signing ceremony.
“Through the Messengers of Peace initiative, millions of young people have been empowered to foster a culture of peace and dialogue worldwide, driving impactful initiatives at the community level. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their unwavering support of this invaluable initiative, which continues to benefit the global Scouting movement and promote a more harmonious world,” remarked HRH Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, Immediate Past Chair and Board Member of the World Scout Foundation.
“Messengers of Peace has already inspired millions to lead with compassion, serve their communities, and build a more peaceful world. With this renewed funding, we can build on those successes to reach even more Scouts — equipping them with the values, skills, and experiences to become leaders and changemakers,” said David Berg, Acting Secretary General of World Scouting.
Since 2010, support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Messengers of Peace has empowered a worldwide network of young peace-builders to take action as global citizens to promote peace and sustainable development. Over the years, Scouts have carried out more than 16 million local projects and actions, contributing nearly 3 billion hours of community service towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Scouts worldwide are committed to creating a more peaceful and inclusive world. With this renewed funding, more young people and volunteers will have an opportunity to experience Scouting’s transformative education programmes, equipping them with the essential skills and leadership capabilities to be ready for life.
To learn more about the impact of Messengers of Peace, visit the Scout.org website, Scouts for SDGs hub, the World Scout Foundation website, and our impact evaluation report.
About World Scouting
World Scouting is a global non-profit organisation of more than 57 million young people and adult volunteers engaged through 176 National Scout Organizations. Scouting’s purpose is to equip young people with the essential skills and leadership capabilities to be ready for life and serve their communities as active global citizens. Learn more at scout.org.
About World Scout Foundation
The World Scout Foundation is an international non-profit institution which exists to strengthen the impact of World Scouting through the provision of financial and other support to the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Under the patronage of His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Honorary Chairman since 1977, the Foundation unites a phenomenal global network of individuals, governments, foundations, and other key partners to support 57 million+ Scouts and their local communities. The Foundation manages capital investments from its broad network of donors and also enables non-capital investments to support specific global projects. Find out more at worldscoutfoundation.org
Press Contact:
David Venn, Global Director, Communications, World Scout Bureau, david.venn@scout.org