| EUROFAX 60 | |
| September 1997 | |
"Eurofax is the monthly newsletter of the European Scout Region. It is produced by the European Scout Office and is distributed to all member associations in the European Region, and others. Reproduction of articles without alteration is encouraged but Eurofax should be acknowledged as the source of the information."
This is your last chance to send in your applications for EuroSteps '98!. The final deadline for application to the European Office is 12 September. Please don't forget to send a photo of your project or site for inclusion in the EuroSteps booklet. If you have not yet sent in the EuroSteps evaluation form for 1996, please do so now!
The deadline for registration for the European seminar on marginalised youth is 15 September. This event is to be held in Sheffield, UK, from 22-28 November. The aim is to encourage national associations to promote equal opportunities for all young people and to undertake innovative and experimental work with disadvantaged young people.
The next Euro-Arab meeting will be hosted by the Kuwait Boy Scouts Association from 25-30 October 1997. Invitations have been sent to all Scout associations in the European and Arab Regions. Under the theme of "Scouting: helping young people grow", the following issues will be discussed: how to improve our co-operation in developing programmes for young people aged 15-20; Scouting and ethnic communities in Europe; support to the Palestinian Scout Association; mutual invitations to seminars, training courses and youth events. Applications should be sent to the European Scout Office as soon as possible and by 12 September at the very latest.
The informal networks on north-south co-operation and working with ethnic communities will meet in Toulouse, France, from 7-9 November, hosted by the Scouts Musulmans de France. Representatives from all Scout and/or Guide associations in Europe are welcome. For more information, contact the Scouts Musulmans de France. Tel: (+33.1) 45 86 68 89 Fax: (+33.1) 45 86 70 76
Eurofolk '97 brought approximately 1,000 young people aged 16 to 20 to Belgium from all over Europe. They formed international patrols and participated in projects relating to the Passport for Europe. They also had an opportunity to make a stand showing typical produce from their country and present dances, songs and sketches at the mid-camp gathering in Louvain. The gathering was visited by Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission, a representative from the Council of Europe and members of the European Guide and Scout Committee. Participants developed a Charter of Encounter (see below), expressing what can be gained from international co-operation and what is needed to make it a success.
Charter of Encounter:
Centres wishing to ensure that they appear in the 1998 edition of the Where to Stay in Europe guide must ensure that they have responded to the recent mailing (also sent to International Commissioners). All applications for inclusion in the 1998 edition must be received at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre by 30 September, approved by the international commissioner concerned.
The 2nd General Assembly of the World Scout Parliamentary Union was held in Manila, Philippines from 18-21 August, with 185 participants including 80 parliamentarians from 41 countries. The assembly considered Scouting's contribution to national and international youth policies with input provided by a variety of speakers, concluding with the adoption of 'The Manila Declaration', focusing on the need to recognize, at all political levels, "the universal value of non-formal education for young people, and in particular, the work accomplished by youth organizations such as Scouting." Aleksander Luczak (Poland) and Michel Meylan (France) were among the nine parliamentarians elected to serve on the Executive Committee. The invitation from the National Scout Parliamentary Association of Poland to host the next general assembly in 2000 was unanimously accepted.
A new campsite has been opened in Lohmen, near Dresden, Germany. The site was officially inaugurated by Mr Toepfer, representing the Toepfer Stiftung F.V.S. (Hamburg) which provided the financial support needed to develop the facility, in the presence of representatives from German, Polish and Czech Scouting, as well as the mayor of Lohmen and local government officials. The European Scout Foundation was also represented. Situated close to one of Germany's most beautiful national parks, Lomhen provides a particularly well-situated meeting point for Polish, German and Czech Scouts, but the activities are by no means limited to Scouts from these countries. For further information, contact Ring deutscher Pfadfinderverbénde, Postfach 22 1380, D-41436 Neuss, Germany. Tel: (+49.2131) 46990. Fax: (+49.2131) 469999.
This publication has been made in response to requests received from member associations following the success of the GDV at the World Scout Jamboree in The Netherlands. This new booklet outlines a step-by-step process to help organizers plan GDV activities at national and regional events. The publication is a co-production of the World Scout Bureau and Scouting Nederland, which prepared the content, and of the 18th World Scout Jamboree Foundation which funded the publication. Specimen copies have been mailed to international commissioners with August's Scoutpak.
Zef Klinkenbergh, Programme Development Officer of the Scout Association of Ireland, was recently talked into running a programme base at their international jamboree. His activity was to assist Scouts to build bird and bat boxes in the 'ECO-Village'. In the process, Zef realised how useful it would be if there was a readily available resource of ideas and instructions for running programme bases at these types of events: so much so that he has offered to put together a resource book of '101 Jamboree Activities'. After his experience with the bird boxes, Zef has only another 100 ideas to collect in order to reach his target - which is where you come in! Any ideas for activities would be welcome: arts and crafts; environment; 'traditional' Scout activities; technology; etc. Please send a brief description of the activity, time, materials needed, useful tips and diagrams, staff requirements etc. to Zef Klinkenbergh, Scouting Ireland SAI, Morrison Chambers, 32 Nassau Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. Fax: (+353.1) 671 1244.
If you wish to offer "the final word" on a topic related to international Scouting or Guiding, send your text to the European Guide and Scout Office. Maximum 130 words, please! Views expressed in 'The final word' are personal and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the publishers. This month, we offer just two from Mario Sica's collection of over 500 quotations of Robert Baden-Powell: 'Footsteps of the Founder':
A Guide should train herself to look for what is beautiful in everything, so that she may become strong enough in her mind to avoid listening to, or taking part in, anything that is ugly or unclean.
Quoted in Girl Guiding
As Scouts, it is our business to find out the other fellow's point of view before we actually press our own. We want a great, broad-minded outlook in every direction.
8th International Conference, Stockholm, 1935
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