International Scout and Guide Fellowship

Logo of the ISGF

The International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF) is the world association of old scout organizations . It was founded in 1953 and is recognized by the two world scout youth associations WOSM ( World Organization of the Scout Movement ) and WAGGGS ( World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts ). The association is an advisory member of UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, UN Children's Fund) and participates in projects of UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UN High Commissioner for Refugees). The association languages are English and French .

history

Already in 1931 from the founder of the Boy Scouts, Lord Robert Baden-Powell , the first indications came about a union of old scouts.

In 1933 the first national association, the “St. George's Guild Denmark ”. Since after 1945, old scout associations emerged in many countries, these demanded the creation of a worldwide association. Negotiations with WOSM and WAGGGS lasted until 1952, and on October 23, 1953 the International Federation of Former Scouts and Guides (IFOFSAG; French Amitié Internationale des Scouts et Guides Adults , AIDSEGA) was founded. The membership at that time was 40,000 men and 5,000 women.

The founding day of October 23rd has been celebrated as World Friendship Day in all guilds since 1964.

At the 21st World Conference in Montegrotto (Italy) in 1996, the name was changed to International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF; French Amitié Internationale des Scouts et Guides , AISG).

organization

World Committee and World Office

The ISGF is responsible for the administration, organization and growth of the worldwide guild movement. It organizes international meetings, maintains contact with youth associations, international and state institutions and coordinates all cross-border activities.

A world conference takes place every three years (most recently in Como in 2011 ), at which the world committee (eight members from eight countries) is elected. The chairman is the president, the world committee is the governing body of the ISGF, it also includes representatives from WOSM and WAGGGS. The World Office is responsible for ongoing work in the association and is headed by a Secretary General who has a seat on the World Committee. The World Office is based in Brussels .

All countries that have at least 125 guild members are full members, with four delegates to the World Conference (regardless of size). These regional associations are called "National Fellowships" (NF). Countries that have not (yet) reached this number are associated NFs that only have a seat but no voting rights. Adults in whose countries no recognized guild association exists and who submit to the principles and goals of ISGF can join the Central Branch (CB - Zentralgilde) directly. The CB also has four votes at the world conference.

Member countries

Logo of the Central Europe sub-region

There are 5 regions, four sub-regions (in Europe) and the Central Branch.

Africa region (7 NF and 1 associated NF)
Arabia Region (10 NF)
Asia & Pacific Region (8 NF)
Western Hemisphere Region (7 NF and 2 associated NF)
Europe region
1. North & Baltic sub-region (8 NF and 2 associated NF)
2. Sub-region Western Europe (5 NF)
3. Subregion Southern Europe (6 NF)
4. Central Europe sub-region (10 NF) - German-speaking countries, as well as Latvia, Poland, Romania, Switzerland (this association is bilingual, German / French), Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Ukraine have observer status
Central Branch (30 countries with around 700 members)

At the 2010 European Conference in Cyprus, a new European Committee (Presidium) was appointed for the period 2010 to 2013. It consists of President Olav Bolle (Norway), Vice-President Hans Slanec (Austria), Treasurer Photis Mammides (Cyprus) and Secretary Kathrin Diver (Great Britain).

German-speaking associations

Membership numbers

In 2007 the ISGF had 76,796 members in 67 countries.

The seven National Fellowships with the largest number of members are Great Britain, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Australia and Austria.

Actions

Support from WOSM and WAGGGS: ISGF transfers an annual amount to the two world youth organizations to support the administration. In addition, the NF are supported in providing direct assistance to their local scout organizations.
Twinning: ISGF arranges regional associations or individual guild partners in other countries for maintaining contacts, exchanging experiences across borders and providing direct help with material assets or personal work
UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees): For all actions that WOSM, WAGGGS and ISGF undertake for refugees, UNHCR contributes 50% of the costs
Haiti project: four schools in small Haitian villages are renovated with financial and material grants, as well as direct labor, and brought to a better level of learning
Ethiopia and Nepal project: construction and improvement of school facilities (action of the Scandinavian NF)
Uganda Network: Aid organization for children's homes in Uganda
The International European Kenyan Scout Development Project "Harambee Costa Kenya" ( Harambee is Swahili for cooperation): Support of the Kenyan scouts (action of some NF of the sub-region Central Europe)
JS Wilson Fund: $ 1,000 annually is made available for the further education of a boy scout from a developing country (the fund is named after Colonel JS Wilson, the former director of WOSM and honorary president of ISGF)
European forum of the guild scouts in Grossarl (Austria): international meeting for the exchange of experiences and ideas

Publications

Carlo Guarneri: Storia dell 'Amicizia Internationale. Strade Aperte Verlag, MASCI (Movimento Adulti Scout Cattolici Italiani) media publisher, 2005 (French translation 2006, English translation 2007).
Alfred Partsch: The "International Scout and Guide Fellowship". Past and present of our world association. Self-published Boy Scout Guild Austria, Vienna 2006 (German based on the book by Carlo Guarneri, with additions).
Quarterly Circular. Notifications from ISGF / AISG.
Central Europe @ current. Journal of the Central Europe sub-region of the ISGF / AISG.

Web links

Official website

Individual evidence

↑ Alfred Partsch: The "International Scout and Guide Fellowship. Past and present of our world association. Self-published Pathfinder-Gilde Österreichs, Vienna 2006, p. 22.
↑ Quarterly Circular , ISGF / AISG-Info June 2009, Pt. 5 .: Partnership UNHCR-ISGF
^ Alfred Partsch: The "International Scout and Guide Fellowship". Past and present of our world association. Self-published Boy Scout Guild Austria, Vienna 2006, pp. 5-7,11,20,74.
^ Alfred Partsch: The "International Scout and Guide Fellowship". Past and present of our world association. Self-published Boy Scout Guild Austria, Vienna 2006, p. 106.
↑ The Guild Path. Information magazine of the Austrian Pathfinder Guild Media owner Pathfinder Guild Austria, issue 2/2009, No. 391/59. Volume, p. 9.

[1] Alfred Partsch: The "International Scout and Guide Fellowship. Past and present of our world association. Self-published Pathfinder-Gilde Österreichs, Vienna 2006, p. 22.

[2] Quarterly Circular , ISGF / AISG-Info June 2009, Pt. 5 .: Partnership UNHCR-ISGF

[3] Alfred Partsch: The "International Scout and Guide Fellowship". Past and present of our world association. Self-published Boy Scout Guild Austria, Vienna 2006, pp. 5-7,11,20,74.

[4] Alfred Partsch: The "International Scout and Guide Fellowship". Past and present of our world association. Self-published Boy Scout Guild Austria, Vienna 2006, p. 106.

[5] The Guild Path. Information magazine of the Austrian Pathfinder Guild Media owner Pathfinder Guild Austria, issue 2/2009, No. 391/59. Volume, p. 9.