International scouting talks in Riyadh to empower 100 million scouts
The Saudi capital, Riyadh, witnessed a significant event in the field of volunteer and humanitarian work, hosting international scouting discussions between the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association and officials from the World Scout Foundation. These discussions focused on the governance mechanisms for the second edition of the global "Messengers of Peace" initiative, as well as outlining the association's future strategy. These joint efforts aim to empower 100 million scouts worldwide, spread across 176 countries, in a strategic step closely aligned with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which places great importance on volunteer work and human capacity development.
These developments came during a high-level meeting between the Acting Secretary General of the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association, Dr. Mohammed Hussein Al-Sayed, in his capacity as Chairman of the Global Messengers of Peace Initiative Committee, and Mr. Siegfried Weiser, a member of the World Scout Foundation's Board of Directors. The meeting, held at the Association's headquarters in Riyadh, was also attended by Mr. Faisal bin Muammar, a member of the World Scout Foundation's Board of Directors and General Supervisor of the King Abdulaziz Public Library, reflecting the weight and importance of these discussions at both the local and international levels.
The importance of holding international scouting talks to promote the Messengers of Peace initiative
Since its founding in the early 20th century, the Scout Movement has been one of the world's largest youth volunteer movements, aiming to build character and develop young people's physical, mental, and social skills. Within this historical context, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has emerged as a major supporter of global Scouting. Launched in 2011 with direct and generous support from the Saudi government, the Messengers of Peace initiative has become a leading global platform designed to inspire Scouts worldwide to undertake projects that serve their local communities and promote world peace. The initiative's first iteration successfully recorded hundreds of millions of volunteer hours, making the transition to a second iteration essential to ensure the sustainability and expansion of this positive impact.
Precise governance mechanisms and expected impact locally and globally
During the meeting, both sides revealed the latest developments regarding the second edition of the "Messengers of Peace" initiative, outlining the meticulous governance mechanisms of this pioneering global initiative in the humanitarian sector. Association officials explained that the initiative strongly seeks to promote a culture of volunteerism and instill the values of peace among the world's peoples. Locally, these efforts will contribute to achieving the Vision 2030 goal of reaching one million volunteers, while regionally and internationally, they will unite youth efforts to address global challenges and strengthen social cohesion. Scout leaders affirmed that these efforts have already contributed to empowering the Scout Movement internationally, aiming to inspire and encourage more than 100 million Scouts to become true messengers of peace in their communities.
Developing institutional work methodology and nurturing young leaders
On the institutional development front, the attendees discussed the future directions of the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association's strategy and the work methodology planned for the next phase. Association representatives indicated that the new plans are fully aligned with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. At the conclusion of the meeting, the attendees noted that these strategic steps will enhance the development of the scouting sector and the Association's institutional work model. They added that the new strategy will directly contribute to developing young scouting leaders through the launch of innovative initiatives that instill the values of sustainability and active citizenship, ensuring the preparation of a generation capable of leading positive change and making a difference in the future.
