Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Geneva (Fides Service) – “The strategy of the Scout Movement works at two levels: valorise the patrimony of cultural, social e religious identity at local level; act at the global level, because Scouting has always been a world movement. Baden Powell, the founder said 100 years ago that the Scout is a citizen of the world and that he is called to break down barriers which divide humanity and to promote the values of universal brotherhood, even before the promulgation of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights”. Medical doctor Eduardo Missoni, aged 49, who will assume the position as general secretary of the World Scout Movement on April 1 2004, said this in a conversation with Fides. The Scout movement has more than 28 million members in 215 countries.
Missoni teaches Management of Cooperation in Development and Global Health Strategies at Bocconi University in Milan. He made his Scout promises in 1965 as a member of Agesci Italian Association of Catholic Scouts and Guides.
He says “I am aware of the good Scouting can do for young people and for society. But we have enormous potential to do more and I will try to make my contribution to an organisation which has no equal in the world”. The duty of the Secretary General is to actuate the policies of the World Conference of Scouts , the international high level local representative organ, creating awareness with regard to Scouting as a method for involving and educating youth.
“I will work –Missoni continues – to keep the Scout world in contact with the dimension of youth problems: The task of Scouting is to render youth present in decision making in society and to form authentically democratic leaders. To reach this objective Scouting uses a method based on personal responsibility and formation of the citizen on values of trust, loyalty, respect for others and for nature. Also important the encounter with other youth movements at the local and world level”. He intends to give special care to adolescents, an age group “subject to the modern world’s contrasting dynamics, to the messages of the mass media and new technologies, of which we have less members than in the past”.
One important strategic point of the Movement concerns the debate on great themes of global breath: should the choice be left to the individual or should the Organisation assume a clear political position? “Given that each national reality with solve this problem in its interior it should be said that the Scout method is not neutral: its vision of the world proposes dialogue, respect for nature, loyalty, trust in others, and therefore supports world peace and harmony among different people, cultures and religions”.(PA) (Fides Service 14/11/2003 Lines: 44 Words:497)
