Opening ceremony

The 13th European Guide and Scout Conference has begun! More than 450 Guide and Scout leaders from all over Europe gathered in Brussels today for the Opening Ceremony in the Gallery Horta in Brussels, to mark the official opening of the Conference. They were welcomed by the Belgian EU Commissioner Karel de Gucht, and Laurent Geeraerts, President of Guiding and Scouting in Belgium, who are hosting the conference on behalf of the Europe Region WAGGGS and WOSM – European Region. 

The conference theme “No Limit” was a recurring message throughout the evening, as were the areas of work which have been identified by the two Regions as priorities over the next two years: Embracing Change; Growth through Quality, and Volunteering.  Earlier, in a reception by the Mayor of Brussels offered to welcome the Conference to Brussels, Pascale Lejeune, Acting Director of Youth and Sport in the European Commission recognized the contribution which Guiding and Scouting makes to the development of European citizenship and urged the delegates to continue to reach out to young people, particularly those from marginalized or disadvantaged backgrounds.

In officially opening the Conference, Fabiola Canavesi and Craig Turpie, Chairs of the Europe Committee WAGGGS and the European Scout Committee dared the delegates to look wide, and wider still, in their discussions about the future of Guiding and Scouting in Europe over the next three years, so the Movements could continue to ensure that the programmes offered are still relevant and meeting the needs of young people, wherever they live.