Jordan to host 32nd World Conference of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

Jun 19, 2005

Jordan Times AMMAN - Jordan organized one of the biggest gatherings on the international scene for the start of the 32nd World Conference of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). The June 20-24 conference held under Royal patronage brought together over 600 scout leaders from 144 countries. HRH Princess Basma, who heads the Jordanian Association of Girl Guides and Boy Scouts, played an instrumental role in securing Jordan’s bid to host the conference, held in the Arab region for the first time. During the course of the conference, delegates discussed the association’s three-year strategy, changes to its bylaws, the admission of six new member states as well as electing new members to the world council. Princess Basma also addressed the conference, focusing on the achievements made and challenges ahead. During their stay, delegates also visited historical sites in the Kingdom. The scouting movement, founded by Robert Baden-Powell in 1908, now has 25 million members from over 150 national scout organisations in 200 countries. Scoutism is based on volunteering and incorporates civic duties into daily life. The movement entails a personal commitment to a simple code of living and is based on learning by doing, and working in small groups to help young people develop leadership, group skills, and individual responsibility. Since its inception, scouting has evolving and adapted according to local conditions, serving local needs. Through recreation, scouting achieves its purpose to help young people develop physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually. The Jordanian Association of Girl Guides and Boy Scouts was founded in 1954. There are around 60,000 boy scouts and girl guides in the Kingdom, with the movement expanding significantly from 2,000 in the early 1960s. Through stimulating programmes and activities based on the interests of young people and contact with nature - scouting provides a rich learning environment where simplicity, creativity and discovery come together to provide adventure and challenge. They participate in the development of society, respecting the dignity of others and the integrity of the natural world - promoting local, national and international peace, understanding and cooperation. Scouting complements the school and the family, filling needs not met by either. It develops self-knowledge as scouts discover the world beyond the classroom, tapping the skills of others to learn and passing that knowledge on to others. It is also a challenge for adults as it offers a chance to help young people and is a way to improve the understanding between generations. Through that, leaders get valuable training and experience, adding to their personal development