Celebrations to mark the centenary of the scouting movement began on 22 February. But the key date is 1st August 2007 when all the scouts of the world will celebrate “the Scouting Sunrise”, i.e. the beginning of a new century of scouting, a hundred years since the day on which Baden-Powell began his experimental scout camp of the little island of Brownsea, in Poole Harbour, on the south coast of England, which will host this year’s Jamboree. On that day scouts will renew their Promise, at dawn, throughout the world, and share this event with their friends, families and local communities. A delegation of all the national scouting organizations will also be present on the island of Brownsea to renew their promise and take part in a special commemorative event. The scouting associations of various European countries are engaged in a series of local projects, while at the international level an event called “Dare to dream” will be held at Kandersteg (Switzerland) from 30 March to 2 April on the initiative of the Europe region of the world scouting organization. The same organization is also promoting a series of twinnings between European scouting groups and associations (for further information see the portal www.onlyat.rovernet.eu). Another event called Euromot will begin on 4 August: an educational proposal for European youth that will depart from Slovakia and end up in Poland. It is being promoted by the International Union of Guides and Scouts of Europe of the Federation of European Scouting (UIGSE-FSE). “Our idea is to unite the children of Europe on the basis of their common Christian root, fostering it and projecting a Europe of peoples rather than a Europe of states, nations, political groups or ideological alignments”, commented Father Cyril Vasil’, federal assistant of the UIGSE.
