Report of the 10th European Guide and Scout Conference The 10th European Guide and Scout Conference of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and the World Organisation of Scout Movements (WOSM) took place from 7 - 13 July 2001 in Prague, Czech Republic. JUNAK – Svaz Skautu a Skautek of the Czech Republic, hosted the conference. Nearly 500 delegates attended and were joined by representatives from the World Scout Committee, WAGGGS World Board, the WAGGGS World Bureau, the World Scout Bureau, the World Scout Foundation, the Olave Baden-Powell Society, Our Chalet, Pax Lodge, Kandersteg International Scout Centre, other WOSM Regions and the International Scout and Guide Fellowship. As in the European Guide Conference and the European Scout Conference the theme of the Conference was Building European Citizenship and this theme was reflected in its programme and content as well as in the interventions of the guest speaker. The Conference challenged itself to consider How we are helping Young People to develop, How we are helping Society to develop and How we are helping Europe to develop. Following the adoption of the Rules of Procedure of the 10th European Guide and Scout Conference David Bull and Regula Furrer Giezendanner were approved as Co – Chairmen and Per Hylander and Sheran Oke were approved as Co – Vice-Chairmen of the Conference. Tellers for the Conference were appointed as Christina Ivan (Chief Teller) – Romania, Pau Nogera - Spain, Christos Chalaris - Greece and Gudrun Asa Kristleifsdottir – Iceland. The Recommendations Committee was approved as being Sandra Maissen (Chairman) – Switzerland, Dominique Gerard – France, Beata Petes – Hungary and Maimu Nommik – Estonia. The Czech Republic gave meditations for the Conference. Table of Contents Page Number § Address by Václav Havel, President of the Czech Republic 4 § Report by the Chairman of the Europe Committee WAGGGS and the 5 Chairman of the European Scout Committee 1998 -2001 § Evaluation of the Triennium 1998 - 2001 6 - 7 § The Joint Work Plan 2001 – 2004 and Working Groups on the Joint 8 - 10 Plan 2001 - 2004 § Address by Keynote Speaker – Martin Bursik 11 -13 § Address by Garth Morrison, member, World Scout Committee and 14 -17 Ginny Radford, Chairman, WAGGGS World Board § Hosting the 2004 European Guide and Scout Conference 18 § Open Forum 19 § Address by Nils Rosenbom, Chairman of the International Scout and 20 Guide Fellowship § Closing Remarks by the Chairman of the Europe Region WAGGGS 21 and Chairman of the European Scout Committee 2001 - 2004 § Recommendations 22 -26 § Delegates List 27 -32 § Conference Programme 33 Note In most cases a summary of key points of presentations and speeches has been included in this report. Full versions of presentations and speeches can be obtained from the European Scout Office or the Europe Region WAGGGS. Address by Václav Havel, President of the Czech Republic at the Opening Ceremony of the European Guide and Scout Conferences "Scouting and Guiding in the Heart of Europe" Dear Friends, Sister and Brother Guides and Scouts, It is my pleasure to welcome you, at least indirectly, to the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, I must remain at a spa but I would personally like it more if I could be with you at the Municipal House where you are beginning your European Guide and Scout Conferences. The fact that I accepted patronage is not merely a formality because I am one of the three hundred million Scouts and Guides, influenced by Scouting and Guiding within the past ninety years all around the world. After World War II, I had the opportunity to observe its rise in Czechoslovakia and its fall into disgrace by the communist regime. The principles of Scouts and Guides - life in truth, reliability, openness to surroundings, helping hands to friends - are dangerous to every totalitarian regime, but are all the more essential for the development of a democratic, open civil society. Scouting and Guiding is the needle of one's life-compass - it shows the right direction for human endeavour during the time of a global educational deficit; it has answers to tangible problems - by helping the weak and downtrodden. To fulfil the obligations to oneself, to others and to that which surpasses us - this is the actual mission of Scouting and Guiding today as well. It pleases me that Junák - Association of Scouts and Guides of the Czech Republic - has already been in existence for eleven years, and that it has prepared tens of thousands of young people for a meaningful life. The fact that it hosts such an important Conference today, I perceive as a significant appreciation of its philanthropic voluntary work. It is a demonstration of the fact that Czech Scouts and Guides are once again genuine members of the International Scout and Guide Community and, in this respect, the first Czech citizens who belong inside the European Union. Therefore, they are fulfilling in an exemplary manner this year's Conferences motto - "Building European Citizenship". I take great pleasure in that, along with you, and I believe that in the following days you will succeed in creating an environment and atmosphere in which European citizenship finds concrete application. I wish your Conferences great success, I wish you all the best toward the additional work in favour of children and youth within the whole of Europe! [UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION] Report by the Chairmen of the Europe Committee WAGGGS and the European Scout Committee Regula Furrer Giezendanner and David Bull As Associations had already received the written report of the triennium the Chairmen took the opportunity to highlight some of the main points of their report before moving on to the evaluation of the triennium. The past triennium has seen a different way of working between the two Regions than the previous triennium. Joint work is effective when it is project based and promotes the common interests of the two Movements and the specific needs of Associations whilst still understanding the distinctive flavours of Guiding and Scouting. The structures used in the past triennium to carry out the joint work were: § Co-ordinating Group § Joint meetings of the Committees § The Offices The Co-ordinating Group has been the pivot of joint work and has been responsible for the overall planning of joint work and for agreeing on policy. § Joint events During the triennium the two Committees approved guidelines for the organisation of joint events based on the experiences of various planning teams. 28 joint seminars and events took place during the triennium. Networks continue to be developed and it is anticipated that this will become a more essential joint tool in future. It is clear that there are still some difficulties with seminars and events and this has been shared through the evaluation given by Associations but it is anticipated that the joint event guidelines will go some way to addressing these issues. § Communications After each meeting of the two Committees a joint Chairmans’ Letter has been sent to Associations commenting on the progress of the joint work. This has been well received by Associations. Europak is now available to download on the websites of both Regions and news on joint work can be found in WAGGGSFACTS and Eurofax. It is clear that we are moving towards a more technical age of communication and the Regions will reflect that in their communication with Associations. § Review During the Triennium the two committees identified a number of successes in the joint work: § The Co-ordinating group - which was seen as operating well § External Relations Work § Seminars and Events (being aware that there were many more successes than difficulties) § Network Meetings § Europak A number of needs for the future were also identified: § Improving communications § Meeting the specific needs of SAGNOs § Discussion of new approaches to joint work § Promoting a common understanding on world level work on youth policies and non-formal education § Discussion of programme and training, both separately and jointly. The two Chairmen concluded by thanking their fellow Committee Members and the Staff Teams of the two Regions for their support and energy in the joint work. Evaluation of the joint work during the triennium 1998 to 2001 The two Chairmen introduced the results of the evaluation of the triennium by thanking the 11 Associations who had replied by the deadline. The evaluation had been broken into the following parts: General co-operation + § Joint work of the committees provided input from both Regions and gave focus on similar problems § All seminars and events organised by the two Regions were open to all members of WAGGGS and WOSM § Will to co-operate despite the background § Awareness of the committees, that co-operation is at a low level § Links to European Institutions: common approach of WAGGGS and WOSM is appropriate § Joint activities prevent and solve misunderstandings between the two organisations. General co-operation - § The level of co-operation is low (like before Helsingborg) § Not all the events planned took place - lack of interest? § Too much separate conference time § Competition between the Regions has been reflected in some of the joint events § Interruption of joint work in the offices Joint events planned and delivered + § The International Commissioner’s Forum helped in keeping up the IC network and building understanding of WAGGGS and WOSM § Joint activities demonstrate the unity and strength of the Guide & Scout movement and help