World Organization of the Scout Movement
Encyclopedia
The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) is the Non-governmental international
organization which governs most national Scout Organizations
, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva
, Switzerland
. It is the counterpart of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
(WAGGGS).
The mission of WOSM is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise
and Scout Law
, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society. WOSM is organized into regions and operates with a conference, committee and bureau.
. The World Scout Conference is the general assembly of Scouting and is composed of six delegates from each of the member Scout associations. If a country has more than one association, the associations form a federation for coordination and world representation. The basis for recognition and membership in the World Scout Conference includes adherence to the aims and principles of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and independence from political involvement on the part of each member association.
The Conference meets every three years and is hosted by a member association. At the World Scout Conference basic cooperative efforts are agreed upon and a plan of mutual coordination is adopted. The Conference directed the move of the World Scout Bureau from Ottawa, Canada to Geneva on May 1, 1968.
. Its Steering Committee, consisting of the Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen and the Secretary General, meet as needed.
The Committee is composed of 14 members. Twelve, each from a different country, are elected for six-year terms by the World Scout Conference. The members, elected without regard to their nationality, represent the interests of the movement as a whole, not those of their country. The Secretary General and the Treasurer of WOSM are ex-officio members of the Committee. The chairmen of the regional Scout committees participate in the World Scout Committee meetings in a consultative capacity.
The World Scout Committee has set up work streams to address the top strategic priorities, as defined by the World Scout Conference, which at present include:
Standing committees include:
is the only distinction awarded by WOSM, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting. It was first awarded to Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
by a unanimous decision of the then-International Committee on the day of the institution of the Bronze Wolf in Stockholm
in 1935.
The staff also helps arrange global events such as the World Scout Jamboree
s, encourages regional events, and acts as a liaison between the Scouting movement and other international organizations. A major effort in the emerging nations is the extension of the universal Good Turn into an organization-wide effort for community development.
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is associated with the three World Scout Centres. The World Scout Jamboree
is held roughly every four years under the auspices of the WOSM, with members of WAGGGS also invited. WOSM also organises the World Scout Moot
, a Jamboree for 17-26 year olds, and has organised the World Scout Indaba
, a gathering for Scout leaders. The World Scout Foundation
is a perpetual fund governed by a separate Board of Governors and supported by donations for the development of Scouting programs throughout the world.
The WOSM is the non-governmental organization (NGO), that represents the Scouting movement at the United Nations. The WOSM and WAGGGS both have General Consultative Status
with the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC
of the United Nations.
in the center, surrounded by a piece of rope tied with a reef knot
(also called a square knot). The fleur-de-lis is an ancient symbol, originally used by Baden-Powell for the enlisted scouts of the British Army and subsequently adopted and modified for Scouting. The arrowhead represents the North point on a compass, and is intended to point Scouts on the path to service and unity. The three points on the fleur-de-lis represent the three duties, to God, self and others. The two five-point stars stand for truth and knowledge, with the ten points representing the ten points of the Scout Law (see below). The bond at the base of the fleur-de-lis shows the family of Scouting. The encircling rope symbolizes the unity and family of the World Scout Movement.
at Olympia, London in 1920, leaders there created the Boy Scouts' International Conference. All 31 nations represented at Olympia were the charter members. A Bureau was established at 25, Buckingham Palace Road, London, and the then United Kingdom International Commissioner, Hubert S. Martin
, was appointed as Honorary Director. The Boy Scouts' International Conference was later superseded by the World Scout Conference.
The needs of Scout youth in unusual situations has created some interesting permutations, answerable directly to the World Scout Bureau. For years there was an active Boy Scouts of the United Nations
with several troops at Parkway Village in New York City
, with but 14 members in 1959. Also directly registered to the World Bureau were the 900 member International Boy Scouts of the Canal Zone
, as well as 84 Scouts of the European Coal and Steel Community
, an early precursor to the European Union
.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
organization which governs most national Scout Organizations
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It is the counterpart of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England. It is the counterpart of the World Organization of the Scout...
(WAGGGS).
The mission of WOSM is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise
Scout Promise
Since the publication of Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Guides around the world have taken a Scout promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law. The wording of the Scout Promise and Scout Law have varied slightly over time and from country to...
and Scout Law
Scout Law
Since the publication of Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Guides around the world have taken a Scout Promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law...
, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society. WOSM is organized into regions and operates with a conference, committee and bureau.
World Scout Conference
The World Scout Conference (WSC) is the governing body and meets every three years, preceded by the World Scout Youth ForumWorld Scout Youth Forum
The World Scout Youth Forum provides an opportunity for young members of World Scouting to discuss and express their views on issues of interest to them...
. The World Scout Conference is the general assembly of Scouting and is composed of six delegates from each of the member Scout associations. If a country has more than one association, the associations form a federation for coordination and world representation. The basis for recognition and membership in the World Scout Conference includes adherence to the aims and principles of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and independence from political involvement on the part of each member association.
The Conference meets every three years and is hosted by a member association. At the World Scout Conference basic cooperative efforts are agreed upon and a plan of mutual coordination is adopted. The Conference directed the move of the World Scout Bureau from Ottawa, Canada to Geneva on May 1, 1968.
| Date | Number | Location | Country | Member Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | First World Scout Conference | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
 United Kingdom |
33 |
| 1922 | Second World Scout Conference | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
 Early Modern France |
32 |
| 1924 | Third World Scout Conference | Copenhagen Copenhagen Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region... |
 Denmark |
34 |
| 1926 | Fourth World Scout Conference | Kandersteg Kandersteg Kandersteg is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located along the valley of the River Kander, west of the Jungfrau massif. It is noted for its spectacular mountain scenery and sylvan alpine landscapes. Tourism is a... |
 Switzerland |
29 |
| 1929 | Fifth World Scout Conference | Birkenhead Birkenhead Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool... |
United Kingdom |
33 |
| 1931 | Sixth World Scout Conference | Baden bei Wien Baden bei Wien -Points of interest:The town offers several parks and a picturesque surrounding, of which the most frequented is the Helenental valley. Not far from Baden, the valley is crossed by a widespread aqueduct of the Vienna waterworks... |
 Austria |
44 |
| 1933 | Seventh World Scout Conference | Gödöllő Gödöllo Gödöllő is a town situated in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, about northeast from the outskirts of Budapest. Its population is about 31,000 according to the 2001 census. It can be easily reached from Budapest with the suburban railway . Gödöllő is home to the Szent István... |
 Hungary |
31 |
| 1935 | Eighth World Scout Conference | Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... |
 Sweden |
28 |
| 1937 | Ninth World Scout Conference | The Hague The Hague The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam... |
 Netherlands |
34 |
| 1939 | 10th World Scout Conference | Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... |
United Kingdom |
27 |
| 1947 | 11th World Scout Conference | Château de Rosny-sur-Seine Château de Rosny-sur-Seine The Château de Rosny-sur-Seine is a château in the Louis XIII style, situated in Rosny-sur-Seine in Yvelines, on the left bank of the Seine, at a short driving distance from Paris by the road to Rouen.... |
Early Modern France |
27 |
| 1949 | 12th World Scout Conference | Elvesaeter |  Norway |
25 |
| 1951 | 13th World Scout Conference | Salzburg Salzburg -Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for... |
Austria |
34 |
| 1953 | 14th World Scout Conference | Vaduz Vaduz Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants , most of whom are Roman Catholic. Its cathedral is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop.... |
 Liechtenstein |
35 |
| 1955 | 15th World Scout Conference | Niagara Falls, Ontario Niagara Falls, Ontario Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903... |
 Canada |
44 |
| 1957 | 16th World Scout Conference | Cambridge Cambridge The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the... |
United Kingdom |
52 |
| 1959 | 17th World Scout Conference | New Delhi New Delhi New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is... |
 India |
35 |
| 1961 | 18th World Scout Conference | Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... |
 Portugal |
50 |
| 1963 | 19th World Scout Conference | Rhodes |  Greece |
52 |
| 1965 | 20th World Scout Conference | Mexico City Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
 Mexico |
59 |
| 1967 | 21st World Scout Conference | Seattle |  United States |
70 |
| 1969 | 22nd World Scout Conference | Otaniemi Otaniemi Otaniemi , or Otnäs , is a district of Espoo, Finland. It is located near the border of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.... |
 Finland |
64 |
| 1971 | 23rd World Scout Conference | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... |
 Japan |
71 |
| 1973 | 24th World Scout Conference | Nairobi Nairobi Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is... |
 Kenya |
77 |
| 1975 | 25th World Scout Conference | Lundtoft | Denmark |
87 |
| 1977 | 26th World Scout Conference | Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... |
 Canada |
81 |
| 1979 | 27th World Scout Conference | Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... |
United Kingdom |
81 |
| 1981 | 28th World Scout Conference | Dakar Dakar Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland... |
 Senegal |
74 |
| 1983 | 29th World Scout Conference | Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan -Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the... |
United States |
90 |
| 1985 | 30th World Scout Conference | Munich Munich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... |
 West Germany |
93 |
| 1988 | 31st World Scout Conference | Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... |
 Australia |
77 |
| 1990 | 32nd World Scout Conference | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
Early Modern France |
|
| 1993 | 33rd World Scout Conference | Sattahip Amphoe Sattahip Sattahip is a district in the province Chonburi, Thailand. It is located at the southern tip of the province, close to the tourism center Pattaya.-Geography:... |
 Thailand |
|
| 1996 | 34th World Scout Conference | Oslo Oslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King... |
Norway |
108 |
| 1999 | 35th World Scout Conference | Durban Durban Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism... |
 South Africa |
116 |
| 2002 | 36th World Scout Conference | Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace... |
Greece |
126 |
| 2005 | 37th World Scout Conference | Hammamet |  Tunisia |
122 |
| 2008 | 38th World Scout Conference | Jeju-do Jeju-do Jeju-do is the only special autonomous province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946... |
 South Korea |
150 |
| 2011 | 39th World Scout Conference | Curitiba Curitiba Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to... |
 Brazil |
|
| 2014 | 40th World Scout Conference | Ljubljana Ljubljana Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants... |
 Slovenia |
World Scout Committee
The World Scout Committee is the chief executive body of the World Scout Conference and is composed of elected volunteers. The World Scout Committee represents World Scout Conference between the meetings of the full conference. The World Scout Committee is responsible for the implementation of the resolutions of the World Scout Conference and for acting on its behalf between its meetings. The Committee meets twice a year, usually in GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. Its Steering Committee, consisting of the Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen and the Secretary General, meet as needed.
The Committee is composed of 14 members. Twelve, each from a different country, are elected for six-year terms by the World Scout Conference. The members, elected without regard to their nationality, represent the interests of the movement as a whole, not those of their country. The Secretary General and the Treasurer of WOSM are ex-officio members of the Committee. The chairmen of the regional Scout committees participate in the World Scout Committee meetings in a consultative capacity.
The World Scout Committee has set up work streams to address the top strategic priorities, as defined by the World Scout Conference, which at present include:
- Youth involvement
- Volunteers in Scouting
- Scouting's profile (communications, partnerships, resources)
Standing committees include:
- Audit
- Budget
- Constitutions
- Honours and Awards
- Working With Others- a consultative committee of the WOSM and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl ScoutsWorld Association of Girl Guides and Girl ScoutsThe World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England. It is the counterpart of the World Organization of the Scout...
(WAGGGS), composed of members of the World Committee/World Board of both organizations - 2007 Task Force for the 100th Anniversary of Scouting, composed of members of the World Scout Committee, World Scout Bureau, World Scout Foundation, and The Scout AssociationThe Scout AssociationThe Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
of the United Kingdom
Current members of the World Scout Committee
| Name | Country | Term to* |
|---|---|---|
| Simon Hang-Bock Rhee | Chairman, Korea | 2014 |
| John C.C. May John C.C. May John C.C. May from London, United Kingdom, is the current Vice-Chairman of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and Chairman of its Educational Methods Committee, advising national organisations on their youth programme and support for... |
Vice-Chairman, United Kingdom | 2014 |
| Wahid Labidi Wahid Labidi Wahid Labidi of Tunisia is the current Vice-Chairman of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and Chairman of its World Conference Organizing Committee... |
Vice-Chairman, Tunisia | 2014 |
| Mrs. Mari Nakano Mari Nakano of Japan is one of 12 elected volunteer members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Nakano is the first woman to represent the Asia-Pacific Scout Region on the governing body... |
Japan | 2014 |
| Eric Khoo Heng-Pheng Eric Khoo Heng-Pheng Eric Khoo Heng-Pheng, from Tranquerah, Malacca, Malaysia, , is one of 12 elected volunteer members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and Chairman of its Asia Pacific Regional Scout Committee, elected in 2001... |
Malaysia | 2014 |
| Karin Ahlbäck Karin Ahlbäck Karin Ahlbäck of Kirkkonummi, Finland is one of 12 elected volunteer members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement... |
Finland | 2014 |
| João Gonçalves João Gonçalves (Scouting) João Armando Gonçalves of Figueira da Foz, Portugal is one of 12 elected volunteer members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement... |
Portugal | 2014 |
| Daniel Ownby | United States | 2014 |
| John Neysmith John Neysmith John Neysmith of Canada is one of 12 elected volunteer members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and the International Commissioner for Scouts Canada. Through his involvement with the World Bureau, he has had the opportunity to... |
Canada | 2014 |
| Abdullah al-Fahad Abdullah al-Fahad Dr. Abdullah bin Suleiman al-Fahad of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is one of 12 elected volunteer members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement... |
Saudi Arabia | 2014 |
| Oscar Palmquist Oscar Palmquist Oscar Victor Palmquist Arias of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil is one of 12 elected volunteer members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, Vice Chairman of the World Scout Conference "Curitiba-Brazil 2011" Organizing Committee and member... |
Brazil | 2014 |
| Marcel Blaguet Ledjou Marcel Blaguet Ledjou Marcel Blaguet Ledjou of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire is one of 12 elected volunteer members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement... |
Côte d'Ivoire | 2014 |
| Luc Panissod Luc Panissod Luc Panissod born 1949, of France, is currently Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement . He previously held the role of Deputy Secretary General of WOSM and was made acting WOSM Secretary General in mid-November 2007 in replacement of Eduardo Missoni, following an... |
Secretary General, WOSM | |
| Maurice Machenbaum Maurice Machenbaum Maurice Machenbaum of Switzerland is the appointed treasurer of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement... |
Treasurer, Switzerland |
- Note: The World Scout Conference in 2008 decided that, starting at the World Conference in 2011, elected members will serve for only three years, but be eligible for re-election for one additional term.
Bronze Wolf
The Bronze WolfBronze Wolf
The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement"...
is the only distinction awarded by WOSM, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting. It was first awarded to Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
by a unanimous decision of the then-International Committee on the day of the institution of the Bronze Wolf in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in 1935.
World Scout Bureau
The World Scout Bureau (WSB, formerly the International Bureau) is the secretariat that carries out the instructions of the World Scout Conference and the World Scout Committee. The WSB is administered by the secretary general, who is supported by a small staff of technical resource personnel. The bureau staff helps associations improve and broaden their Scouting by training professionals and volunteers, establishing finance policies and money-raising techniques, improving community facilities and procedures, and assisting in marshaling the national resources of each country behind Scouting.The staff also helps arrange global events such as the World Scout Jamboree
World Scout Jamboree
The World Scout Jamboree is a Scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of Scouts from around the world, aged 14 to 17....
s, encourages regional events, and acts as a liaison between the Scouting movement and other international organizations. A major effort in the emerging nations is the extension of the universal Good Turn into an organization-wide effort for community development.
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is associated with the three World Scout Centres. The World Scout Jamboree
World Scout Jamboree
The World Scout Jamboree is a Scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of Scouts from around the world, aged 14 to 17....
is held roughly every four years under the auspices of the WOSM, with members of WAGGGS also invited. WOSM also organises the World Scout Moot
World Scout Moot
The World Scout Moot is a gathering of older Scouts, mainly Rover Scouts, ages 18–26 from all over the world...
, a Jamboree for 17-26 year olds, and has organised the World Scout Indaba
World Scout Indaba
The World Scout Indaba was a gathering of Scout Leaders from around the world, a sort of World Jamboree for Scouters. Created at the 1949 12th World Scout Conference in Elvesaeter, Norway, the British Scout Association submitted that of the great number of Scouters working in a Pack, Troop or Crew,...
, a gathering for Scout leaders. The World Scout Foundation
World Scout Foundation
The World Scout Foundation, WSF, is an international non-profit institution based in Geneva, Switzerland funded in 1969, but reorganized in the current form in 1977. The stated mission of the organization is to develop World Scouting by the provision of financial and other support to help develop...
is a perpetual fund governed by a separate Board of Governors and supported by donations for the development of Scouting programs throughout the world.
The WOSM is the non-governmental organization (NGO), that represents the Scouting movement at the United Nations. The WOSM and WAGGGS both have General Consultative Status
Consultative Status
Consultative Status is a phrase whose use can be traced to the founding of the United Nations and is used within the UN community to refer to "Non-governmental organizations in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council." Also some international organizations could...
with the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
of the United Nations.
World Scout Centres
World Scout Centre is a brand of the WOSM and actually used by three Scouting facilities in different countries. These facilities are operated by the corresponding regional divisions or by independent bodies:- Kandersteg International Scout CentreKandersteg International Scout CentreKandersteg International Scout Centre is an international Scout centre in Kandersteg, Switzerland. The centre provides lodges, chalets and campsites covering 17 hectares of land. It is open to Scouts year round, as well as to non-Scouts for most of the year...
in SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, operated by the Scouts International Home association - Cairo International Scout Centre in EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, operated by the Arab Region - Picarquín World Scout Centre in ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, operated by the Interamerican Region
Badge
The WOSM membership badge is the World Scout Emblem, a purple, circular badge with a fleur-de-lisFleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
in the center, surrounded by a piece of rope tied with a reef knot
Reef knot
The reef knot or square knot is an ancient and simple binding knot used to secure a rope or line around an object. Although the reef knot is often seen used for tying two ropes together, it is not recommended for this purpose due to potential instability of the knot.A reef knot is formed by tying...
(also called a square knot). The fleur-de-lis is an ancient symbol, originally used by Baden-Powell for the enlisted scouts of the British Army and subsequently adopted and modified for Scouting. The arrowhead represents the North point on a compass, and is intended to point Scouts on the path to service and unity. The three points on the fleur-de-lis represent the three duties, to God, self and others. The two five-point stars stand for truth and knowledge, with the ten points representing the ten points of the Scout Law (see below). The bond at the base of the fleur-de-lis shows the family of Scouting. The encircling rope symbolizes the unity and family of the World Scout Movement.
History
As a result of the first World Scout Jamboree1st World Scout Jamboree
The 1st World Scout Jamboree was held from July 30, 1920 to August 8, 1920 and was hosted by the United Kingdom at Kensington Olympia in London...
at Olympia, London in 1920, leaders there created the Boy Scouts' International Conference. All 31 nations represented at Olympia were the charter members. A Bureau was established at 25, Buckingham Palace Road, London, and the then United Kingdom International Commissioner, Hubert S. Martin
Hubert S. Martin
Hubert S. Martin was the first director of the International Scout Bureau in 1920, a position he held until his death in the 1930s.Interestingly the Nazi plan for the invasion of England, prepared by Walter Schellenberg, refers to Martin, calling him a "half-Jew".Martin was an early official in the...
, was appointed as Honorary Director. The Boy Scouts' International Conference was later superseded by the World Scout Conference.
The needs of Scout youth in unusual situations has created some interesting permutations, answerable directly to the World Scout Bureau. For years there was an active Boy Scouts of the United Nations
Boy Scouts of the United Nations
The Boy Scouts of the United Nations existed from 1945 through perhaps the early 1980s as the Scouting association serving the families of diplomats and staff of the United Nations, active in both Geneva and at Parkway Village in New York...
with several troops at Parkway Village in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, with but 14 members in 1959. Also directly registered to the World Bureau were the 900 member International Boy Scouts of the Canal Zone
International Boy Scouts of the Canal Zone
The Boy Scouts of the Panama Canal Zone were founded in 1947, recognized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1955, and had 970 members in 1957. The organization had ties to the Boy Scouts of the United Nations, and existed at least through the 1960s, directly registered to the World...
, as well as 84 Scouts of the European Coal and Steel Community
European Coal and Steel Community
The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union...
, an early precursor to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Publications
Publications of WOSM include:- Scouting 'Round the World: a book updated every three years with details on all WOSM member organizations;
- WorldInfo: a monthly circular distributed in electronic format with the help of Scoutnet.
See also
- List of World Organization of the Scout Movement members
- J. S. Wilson
- László NagyLászló Nagy (Scouting)László Nagy was the Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from May 1, 1968 to October 31, 1988...
- Scouts of the World AwardScouts of the World AwardThe Scouts of the World Award is an international Scout recognition administered by the World Organization of the Scout Movement. It was developed to give "young people more opportunities to face the challenges of the future" as identified by the United Nations Millennium Declaration in 2000...
Further reading
- Facts on World Scouting, Boy Scouts International Bureau, Ottawa, Canada, 1961
- Laszlo Nagy, 250 Million Scouts, The World Scout Foundation and Dartnell Publishers, 1985