CAIRO, Egypt (17 August 2024) — The 43rd World Scout Congress officially opened in Cairo, Egypt on 17 August, bringing together over 2,000 scouts from 176 countries. The seven-day event was organized by World Scouting and hosted by the Egyptian Scouts and Girl Guides Federation.
The General Assembly marks a historic moment for World Scouting as it celebrates recent achievements, including reaching a record 57 million members, the highest number in Scouting's 117-year history. World Scouting will also adopt a visionary roadmap for the next decade, focused on addressing the defining issues facing young people.
“Hosting this conference allows us to showcase our rich cultural heritage while reinforcing our shared values of peace, solidarity and leadership. This is an opportunity for Egyptian Scouts to contribute to the global dialogue on how Scouting continues to empower future generations,” said Mohamed Omar (MO), Secretary General of the conference and International Commissioner of the Scouts of Egypt.
“Our mission as the world's leading youth education movement has never been more important, and our role in developing the leaders of today and tomorrow has never been more crucial,” said Ahmed Alhendawi, Secretary General of the World Scouts. “The World Scout Congress is an opportunity to celebrate the impact of the past decade, but it is also an opportunity to look boldly to the future – to embrace Scouting's vision of making a difference in the world around us and to continue to provide transformative learning experiences for all young people around the world.”
The conference will cover a range of key themes including peace, sustainability, youth leadership, human rights and non-formal education and aims to inspire the leadership of national scout organisations through engaging keynote speeches and workshop sessions.
The event will feature international organization partners, including a keynote address by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and leadership dialogues, including the World Health Organization, Alwaleed Charity Foundation, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Environment Programme, UNICEF, World YMCA, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Generation Unlimited, Learning Economy Foundation and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, all of which have contributed to the conference program.
“The World Scout Movement is one of the most important youth movements of our time, prioritizing meaningful youth participation and engagement, and linking local efforts with global solidarity. Most importantly, Scouts around the world are active in their communities in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. At the United Nations, we value their voices and contributions, especially at a time when the world is seeking solutions to face major challenges,” said Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.
The conference will also make several decisions that will guide the movement for the next three years and beyond: Delegates will elect members of the next World Scout Committee and select the host cities for future World Scout events, including the 44th World Scout Conference in 2027, the 17th World Scout Conference in 2029 and the 27th World Scout Jamboree in 2031.
The opening ceremony will be held at the Qubba Presidential Palace, where dignitaries such as Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Ashraf Sobhi and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed will deliver speeches on the importance of the conference and the impact of Scouting worldwide. Other distinguished guests attending the ceremony will include ministers and ambassadors representing member states, as well as long-time partner Princess Lamia bint Majed Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Charity, and Princess Samah bint Faisal Al Saud, board member of the World Scout Foundation.
