International Boy Scout Day

The scout movement owes its birth to the English retired Major General Robert Baden-Powell. As commandant of the fortress during the Boer War, R. Baden-Powell formed a detachment from the local young population that was involved in collecting intelligence, as observers and liaisons. This action helped to hold the fortress until the main forces arrived. At the beginning of the 20th century, after retiring, he wrote the book “Intelligence for Boys.” After its publication, the scout movement appeared. The book was written in the form of an interesting game and called for the education of strong-willed qualities and perseverance in young people. The goal of the book - education in the lap of nature and the ability to survive in difficult conditions - was achieved, and already in 1907 the first scout camp was organized; in England, by the end of that year, the scout movement had more than 60,000 members. The scouting movement included not only boys, but also girls, for whom a special unit was created - the Girl Scouts. In the early 20s, the scouting movement expanded beyond the UK and spread throughout the world, acquiring international status. In 1921, the scout movement existed in 63 countries. In 1972, the Scout movement was enormously popular, already existing in more than 100 countries and with 13 million members. International Scout Day began to be celebrated in 1910, and was dedicated to the date, January 5, when scout organizations were officially recognized and became a special royal charter. The motto of scouting organizations was the call: “Be prepared!”, and the emblem was a three-petalled lily, the petals of which mean: “Before yourself, before your neighbors, before God!” The voluntary principles of the scouting movement attract many young men and women. At scout camps, members of the organization learn to work individually and in teams, lead a healthy lifestyle, improve their skills and knowledge, and get the opportunity to apply their skills in real conditions. Also in scout camps, constant work is carried out on personality development and personal growth. Constant communication with friends and peers helps develop self-confidence in a teenager, develop communication skills, and learn to communicate not only with peers, but also with adult members of the organization.