Latvia

Promise:

Gaidu solijums

Ar goda vardu solos visiem spekiem censties: but uzticıga Dievam un Latvijai, palıdzét tuvakajiem katra brıdi, pildıt gaidu likumus.

Guide Promise

On my honour, I promise:
To do my duty to God and Latvia;
To help my neighbour at all times, and
To obey the Guide Law.

Little Fire Promise

Censties gribu guntina
Paklausıga, laba bút,
Lai mirdz mans tikumins
Ka mirdz spoza uguntina

Little Fire Promise

I promise to do my best, to be obedient and to be in my virtue as bright fire 

 

Law:

Gaidu likumi

1 Gaida ir patiesa.

2 Gaida ir uzticıga Tevijai.

3 Gaida ir pasaizliedzıga un palıdzıga.

4 Gaida ir draudzıga un iecietıga.

5 Gaida ir pieklajıga.

6 Gaida ir dzıvnieku draudzene.

7 Gaida ir paklausıga.

8 Gaida ir moza grutıbas.

9 Gaida ir darbıga un taupıga.

10 Gaida ir tıra domas, vardos un darbos.

Guide Law

1 A Guide is trustworthy.

2 A Guide is loyal to fatherland.

3 A Guide is self-denying and helpful.

4 A Guide is friendly and tolerant.

5 A Guide is courteous.

6 A Guide is a friend to animals.

7 A Guide is obedient.

8 A Guide is alert in hardships.

9 A Guide is active and thrifty.

10 A Guide is clean in thought, words and deeds.

Little Fire Law

1 Guntina klausa vecako.
2 Guntina valda sevi.

Little Fire Law

1 Little Fire gives in to the wishes of her elders.
2 Little Fire is self-possessed.

Motto:

Motto - Arvien modra!

Guide Motto - Be Prepared

Little Fire Motto - Cenısos!

Little Fire Motto - Do My Best

 

Age groups:

Lielgaida Ranger 16+

Gaida Guide 11-16

Guntina Little Fire 7-11

Development of the movement:

Guiding was started in Latvia in 1921 under the umbrella of the Latvian Youth Organizations. In early 1922 the Latvijas Gaidu Centrala Organizacija (the Girl Guides Central Organization of Latvia) was set up and Girl Guiding was permitted to operate as an independent organization. Latvia was a Founder Member of WAGGGS in 1928, enjoyed a visit from Olave Baden-Powell, World Chief Guide in 1933 and had a very active Guiding life until the Movement was banned in 1940.

Fifty years later, in 1990, Latvian Guiding and Scouting was officially re-started as Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrala Organizacija (LSGCO, the Latvian Scout and Guide Central Organization). WAGGGS appointed the Swedish Guide and Scout Council, which already had contacts with Latvia, as the Western European ‘Link’ country for the organization, promoting a close working relationship between the two countries.

Guiding has now been successfully re-introduced to many areas of the country including some small villages.

Programme:

The aim of the programme is to assist young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual and spiritual potential and to help them become responsible members of their local, national and international communities.

It is based on ‘Duty to God’, ‘Duty to others’, and ‘Duty to oneself’. The majority of programmes are carried out separately, especially the weekly meetings where the girls do not meet together with the boys. Programme alternatives ensure activities suitable for girls from the city or from small rural villages.

Relationship to society:

In keeping with the Promise, Latvian Guides help other people and serve their communities. They help elderly people, participate in social service and work on environment projects. They help to maintain historical and cultural monuments in Latvia.

Communication and Co-operation

Girl Guiding is well accepted by the public. The Government is not able to support the organization due to the present economic situation. Nevertheless groups are given, free of charge, the use of schools and rooms belonging to the local government. Some groups are supported by churches.

The Guides and Scouts are members of the National Youth Council. The Guides and Scouts are considered the largest youth movement in the country.

The LSGCO publishes a magazine called Ugunskurs which includes news, ideas and reports, and is geared towards the leader as well as young members.

Training:

There are five types of training: basic training for Patrol Leaders, for assistants of leaders, for new leaders, Trefoil training course (training of trainers) and for experienced leaders.

Outdoor and Environmental Activities

Outdoor activities are popular in Latvian Guiding. Latvian Guides spend their time in weekend and week summer camps, and they have weekend hiking in other seasons. Unit camps and district camps are held every summer. The first large international camp was in 1994. One thousand three hundred Guides and Scouts participated in the national jamboree ‘Mezezers 98’. Now Latvian Girl Guides together with Scouts work on a large project to rebuild Gulbere estate and to make a new training and camping centre.

*Information compiled in 1999

Projects

• Historical Heritage
• Citizenship