| chiefscouttitle = Chair
| chiefscout = Daniël Corsen
| chiefscouttitle2 = Vice-Chairs
| chiefscout2 = Julius Kramer<br>Mori Cheng
| chiefscouttitle3 = Secretary General
| chiefscout3 = David Berg
| website =
|name1=The International Conference of the Boy Scout Movement|namelabel1=Previous name
The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ), branded as World Scouting since 2024, is the largest and, after the Order of World Scouts (formed in 1911), is the second-oldest international organisation in the Scout Movement, having been established in 1922 as The International Conference of the Boy Scout Movement. It has 176 members., and a reach of 60 million young people.
WOSM operates through conferences of its member organisation representatives, its committee and its full-time bureau, structured into regions. It is associated with three World Scout Centres. A World Scout Jamboree is held approximately every four years under its auspices and it organizes World Scout Moots for 17- to 26-year-olds and previously organised World Scout Indabas, a gathering for Scout leaders. The World Scout Foundation is a separately governed fund, supported by donations, for the development of WOSM associated programmes.
WOSM is the counterpart of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). It is a non-governmental organization with General Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
History
In 1920, a conference held during the 1st World Scout Jamboree at Olympia, London agreed to create a Boy Scouts international bureau. An office was established at 25 Buckingham Palace Road, London and The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom International Commissioner, Hubert S. Martin, was appointed honorary director. The bureau's principal task was to co-ordinate discussions and prepare a second international conference in Paris in 1922.
Member organizations
Membership policy
WOSM's membership consists of its remaining founding member organizations and organizations recognized by WOSM as national scout organizations. WOSM's rules protect its founding and existing member organizations by permitting only one member organization in each country and locking-out all other Scout organizations from WOSM membership, recognition and participation no matter how worthy or large their membership. The group had over 900 members in 1957 and existed as a directly registered group until the late 60s. The Boy Scouts of the United Nations began in 1945 and for years there was an active Boy Scouts of the United Nations with several troops at Parkway Village in New York City but only 14 members in 1959. Both the International Boy Scouts of the Canal Zone and the Boy Scouts of United Nations have long since disbanded.
- Directly registered "mixed-nationality Troops" were registered after discussions concerning such troops took place at WOSM's 3rd conference in 1924 at which WOSM's bureau was authorized to directly register such groups. It seems that the discussion at WOSM's 1924 conference was, at least in part, prompted by a letter to Baden-Powell from the Scoutmaster of one such troop in Yokohama, Japan. Janning's troop became the first troop directly registered by WOSM's bureau. Only a few troops were directly registered and the practice was soon discontinued with new "mixed" groups being encouraged to join the WOSM member organization of their country of residence. In 1955, only two such groups were still active, a troop in Iraq that disbanded that year, and the first group to be so registered, the International Troop 1 in Yokohama. The only remaining directly registered Troop is the International Boy Scouts, Troop 1 located in Yokohama, Japan.
- Temporary recognition was extended to Scouts in displaced persons camps after World War II. In 1947, at WOSM's 11th conference the "Displaced Persons Division" of WOSM's bureau was established to register and support Scouts in displaced person camps in Austria, Northern Italy, and Germany. These Scouts did not receive the right of WOSM membership but gained recognition as Scouts under WOSM's bureau until they took up residence in a country that had a recognized national Scout organization, which they could join. The D.P. Division was closed on 30 June 1950.
Structure
Conference
WOSM's conference is its general meeting of member organizations' representatives which meet every three years, hosted by a member association. Each member organizations may send six delegates. The conference is usually preceded by the World Scout Youth Forum.
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Date !! Number
! Location
! Country !! Member Countries
! Host Candidate Countries
|-
| 1920 || Retrospectively referred to as the "First International Conference"
| London
|
| 33
|rowspan=36|
|-
| 1922 || First International Conference (retrospectively referred to as the "Second") || 50
|-
| 1963 || 19th World Scout Conference
| Rhodes
| || 52
|-
| 1965 || 20th World Scout Conference
| Mexico City
| || 59
|-
| 1967 || 21st World Scout Conference
| Seattle
| || 70
|-
| 1969 || 22nd World Scout Conference
| Espoo
| || 64
|-
| 1971 || 23rd World Scout Conference
| Tokyo
| || 71
|-
| 1973 || 24th World Scout Conference
| Nairobi
| || 77
|-
| 1975 || 25th World Scout Conference
| Lundtoft
| || 87
|-
| 1977 || 26th World Scout Conference
| Montreal
| || 81
|-
| 1979 || 27th World Scout Conference
| Birmingham
| || 81
|-
| 1981 || 28th World Scout Conference
| Dakar
| || 74
|-
| 1983 || 29th World Scout Conference
| Dearborn ||
| 90
|-
| 1985 || 30th World Scout Conference
| Munich
| || 93
|-
| 1988 || 31st World Scout Conference
| Melbourne
| || 77
|-
| 1990 || 32nd World Scout Conference
| Paris
| || 100
|-
| 1993 || 33rd World Scout Conference
| Sattahip
| || 99
|-
| 1996 || 34th World Scout Conference
| Oslo
| || 108
|-
| 1999 || 35th World Scout Conference
| Durban
| || 116
|-
| 2002 || 36th World Scout Conference
| Thessaloniki
| || 125
|-
| 2005 || 37th World Scout Conference
| Hammamet
| || 122
|
|-
| 2008 || 38th World Scout Conference
| Jeju-do
| || 150
|
|-
| 2011 || 39th World Scout Conference
| Curitiba
| || 138
| , ,
|-
| 2014 || 40th World Scout Conference
| Ljubljana
| || 143
|
|-
| 2017 || 41st World Scout Conference
| Baku
| || 169
|
|-
| 2021 || 42nd World Scout Conference
| Digital
| ||170
|
|-
| 2024 || 43rd World Scout Conference
|Cairo
|
| 176
| ,
|-
| 2027 || 44th World Scout Conference
|London
|
|
|
|}
Committee
WOSM's committee is its executive governing body, composed of elected volunteers and its secretary general, which is responsible for the implementation of the resolutions of its conference and governs the organization between meetings of its conference. The committee meets at least twice a year. Its steering committee, consisting of the chairperson, two vice-chairpersons and its youth advisor and secretary general meet as needed.
The committee has 21 members. Twelve, each from a different country, are elected for three-year terms by WOSM's 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, the treasurer of WOSM and a representative member of the board of the World Scout Foundation and the chairpersons of the regional Scout committees are ex-officio members of the committee. From 2008 to 2021 six Youth Advisors to the WSC were elected by the World Scout Youth Forum. The Youth Advisors participated in all of the WSC meetings and were also part of the governing structure between the meetings. There will be no Youth Advisors from 2024.
The 2021–2024 committee set up work streams to address the top strategic priorities, as defined by WOSM's conference.<!--which at present include:
- Educational Methods
- Boosting adult volunteers
- Earth Tribe Coordinating Team
- Gender Mainstreaming Coordination
- Life Skills Initiative
- SCENES Coordination Team
- World Events
- Evolution of its conference
- Innovation of all World Events
- Good Governance
- Growth, Recovery and Resilience - Enabling Capacities for Growth
- GSAT Review and New Partner On-boarding
- Safe from Harm 1 - Compliance Mechanism Build, Pilot and Implementation
- Safe from Harm in World and Regional Events
- Strengthening Consultants Support in Financial Management
- WOSM Consultants 2.0-->
Task forces include:
- Youth Engagement in Decision-Making
- Sustainability
Workstream Coordination Group
- Project management support
- Volunteer management support
- Monitoring and evaluation support
Standing committees include:
- Audit
- Budget
- Constitutions
- Ethics
- Honours and Awards
- Steering
Incumbent committee members
{| class="wikitable"
! Name
! Country
! Position
! until
|-
|Daniël Corsen
|
|Chairperson
|2027
|-
|Mori Chi-Kin Cheng
|
|Vice Chairperson
|2027
|-
|Julius Kramer
|
|Vice Chairperson
|2027
|-
|David Berg
|
|Secretary General
|2027
|-
|Victor Atipagah
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Elise Drouet
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Callum Kaye
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Steve Kent
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Nour Elhouda Mahmoudi
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Martin Meier
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Mohammad Omar
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Christine Pollithy
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Marie-Louise C. S. Ycossie
|
|Voting member
|2027
|-
|Jose Vargas
|
|Chair, Interamerican Region
|2028
|-
|Diana Slabu
|
|Chair, European Region
|2028
|-
|Saiid Maaliki
|
|Chair, Arab Region
|2028
|-
|Franck Ramanarivo
|
|Chair, African Region
|2028
|-
|Mohd Zin Bidin
|
|Chair, Asia-Pacific Region
|2028
|-
|Dan Ownby
|
|Treasurer
|
|-
|Jennifer Hancock
|
| World Scout Foundation
|
|}
: <small> Note: In 2008, WOSM's conference decided that, starting at the conference in 2011, elected committee members will serve for only three years but be eligible for re-election for one additional term. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WOSM's conference was rescheduled from Aug 2020 to Aug 2021. </small>
Bureau
thumb|140px
WOSM's bureau is its secretariat, which carries out the instructions of its conference and committee. The bureau is administered by the secretary general, supported by a staff of technical resource personnel.
A bureau was established in London, England in 1922, moved to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1959, Geneva, Switzerland after 1 May 1968 and Kuala Lumpur after August 2013.
Directors/Secretaries General
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Number !! Title !! Years !! Name !! Country
|-
|1st || Director || 1920–1938 || Hubert S. Martin ||
|-
|2nd || Director || 1938–1951 || John Skinner Wilson ||
|-
|3rd || Director || 1951–1965 || Daniel Spry ||
|-
|4th || Director || 1965–1968 || Richard T. Lund ||
|-
|5th || Secretary General || 1968–1988 || László Nagy ||
|-
|6th || Secretary General || 1988–2004 || Jacques Moreillon ||
|-
|7th || Secretary General || 2004–2007 || Eduardo Missoni ||
|-
|8th || Secretary General || 2007–2012 || Luc Panissod ||
|-
|9th || Secretary General || 2013–2016 || Scott Teare ||
|-
|10th || Secretary General || 2017–2024 || Ahmad Alhendawi ||
|-
|11th || Secretary General || 2025– || David Berg ||
|}
Deputy Secretaries General
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title !! Years !! Name !! Country
|-
| Deputy Secretary General || 1991–2004 || Malek Gabr ||
|-
| Deputy Secretary General || 1991–2004 || Luc Panissod ||
|-
| Deputy Secretary General || 2004–2007 || Dominique Bénard ||
|-
| Deputy Secretary General || 2004–2007 || Luc Panissod ||
|-
|Deputy Secretary General
|2024–2025
|David Berg
|
|}
Kandersteg International Scout Centre
thumb|Kandersteg International Scout CentreKandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland, operated by The KISC Association, is the only WOSM activity centre.
Programmes
The Better World Framework combines the Scouts of the World Award, Messengers of Peace and World Scout Environment Programmes as programme initiatives administered by WOSM's bureau.
WOSM emblem
WOSM's emblem and trademark is a purple circular logo with a white fleur-de-lis in the centre with a purple five-point star in each outer lobe, surrounded by a circle of white rope tied with a reef or square knot at the base.
Symbolism
The fleur-de-lis, commonly with a five-point star in each of outer lobe, is a more widely used symbol of the Scout Movement. The fleur-de-lis represents the north point on a map or compass and is intended to point Scouts on the path to service. The three lobes on the fleur-de-lis represent the three parts of the Scout Promise: duty to God, service to others and obedience to the Scout Law. A "bond", tying the three lobes of the fleur-de-lis together, symbolizes the family of Scouts. The two five-point stars stand for truth and knowledge, with the ten points representing the ten points of the Scout Law.
The WOSM emblem adds an encircling rope, tied with a knot at the base, which symbolises the unity and bond of the Scout Movement and uses purple and white colours. In heraldry, the white of the fleur-de-lis and rope denotes purity and the royal purple denotes leadership and service.
In August 2024, WOSM introduced a minor redesign of its emblem.
Use by WOSM member organisations
WOSM's emblem is worn by Scouts and Scouters of several of its member organisations, which determine the manner in which WOSM's emblem is worn.
The Scout Association (United Kingdom)
The Scout Association refers to WOSM's emblem as its "Membership Award"
Scouting America<span class="anchor" id="Boy Scouts of America"></span>
Scouting America refers to WOSM's emblem as the World Crest. It may be worn on Scouting America uniforms as an emblem of the worldwide Scout Movement. Scouting America first used the badge as an award for Scouts and Scouters who participated in an international Scouting event from early 1956 through 1991 with requirements devised by each council. In 1991, Scouting America made it part of the uniform for all Scouts and its International Activity Patch replaced the World Scout Crest as an award.
Scouts South Africa
Scouts South Africa uses the WOSM emblem badge when new members join as a Cub, a Scout or an Adult Leader. The badge is worn on the left front pocket of the uniform, over the heart.
Further reading about WOSM emblem
Awards
Bronze Wolf Award
WOSM's Bronze Wolf Award is given for exceptional services to the international Scout Movement. It was first awarded to Robert Baden-Powell by a unanimous decision of the committee on the day the award was instituted in 1935.
Scouts of the World Award
See article: Scouts of the World Award
Inter-religious forum
WOSM's Inter-religious Forum serves as a working-group for eight main religious groups:
- CPGS – Council of Protestants in Guiding and Scouting
- DESMOS – International Link of Orthodox Christian Scouts
- ICCS – International Catholic Conference of Scouting
- IFJS – International Forum of Jewish Scouts
- IUMS – International Union of Muslim Scouts
- WBSB – World Buddhist Scout Brotherhood
- The Church of the Latter Day Saints
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.
Countries and territories with Scouts run by overseas branches of WOSM member organisations
Ten of these overseas branches of accredited National Scout Organizations are considered "potential members" by the WOSM (marked by *).
Sovereign countries
Served by Scouting America
- Federated States of Micronesia - Scouting in the Federated States of Micronesia* - Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America
- Marshall Islands - Scouting in the Marshall Islands* - Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America
- Palau - Scouting in Palau* - Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America
Served by The Scout Association (UK)'
- Saint Kitts and Nevis - The Scout Association of Saint Kitts and Nevis*
- Tonga - Tonga branch of The Scout Association*
- Tuvalu - Tuvalu Scout Association*
- Vanuatu - Vanuatu branch of The Scout Association*
Served by Scouts Australia
- Nauru - Scouting in Nauru*
Non-sovereign territories
Australia
- Christmas Island - Scouts Australia
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Scouts Australia
- Norfolk Island - Scouts Australia
Denmark
- Faroe Islands - Føroya Skótaráð
- Greenland - Grønlands Spejderkorps
France
- French Guiana - Scouting in French Guiana
- Guadeloupe and Saint Martin - Scouting in Guadeloupe et Saint Martin
- Martinique - Scouts et Guides de Martinique
- Mayotte - Scouting in Mayotte
- New Caledonia - Scouting in New Caledonia
- Réunion - Scouting on Réunion
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon - Scouting in Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Wallis and Futuna - Scouting in Wallis and Futuna
New Zealand
- Cook Islands - Cook Islands Boy Scout Association
- Niue - Scouting and Guiding on Niue
- Tokelau - Scouting and Guiding in Tokelau
United Kingdom
- Anguilla - The Scout Association of Anguilla
- Bermuda - Bermuda Scout Association
- Cayman Islands - The Scout Association of the Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands - Scouting and Guiding in the Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar - The Scout Association of Gibraltar
- Montserrat - The Scout Association of Montserrat
- Saint Helena and Ascension Island - Scouting and Guiding on Saint Helena and Ascension Island
- Turks and Caicos Islands - The Scout Association of the Turks and Caicos
- British Virgin Islands - The Scout Association of the British Virgin Islands
United States
- American Samoa - Scouting in American Samoa - Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America
- Guam - Scouting in Guam - Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America
- Northern Marianas Islands - Scouting in the Northern Mariana Islands - Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America
- Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico Council of the Boy Scouts of America
- United States Virgin Islands - Scouting in the United States Virgin Islands is the responsibility of National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America
Antarctica
- Antarctica - Scouting in the Antarctic
See also
- List of World Organization of the Scout Movement members
References
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
- Eduard Vallory, "World Scouting: Educating for Global Citizenship", Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2012
External links
- About: World Scout Committee
- About: World Scout Bureau
- World Scout Shops