Gruppo Scout Agesci Sesto Calende 1

[PandaSorn]

Dear sisters and brothers,
In closing his last message to us all, B-P wrote: "...stick to your promise always, even after you have ceased to be a boy..." and obviously nowadays a girl also.

It is the promise that makes our Movement so different from every other youth movement and organisation in society, it is loyalty to that commitment that makes us Scouts, rather that simply people dedicating or having dedicated some time of our life to Scouting.

Today we commemorate the joint birthday B-P and his wife Olave, in a very special historical moment, as B-P's 150th birthday also marks the first hundred years from the conception of the idea that would give rise to the world's largest youth Movement. In these hundred years, hundreds of millions of girls and boys, women and men have made the commitment to do their best to leave the world a little better than they found it, and in many places and in different moments in time, Scouts have really made the difference!

In the present times of increasing disparities, world wide tensions and growing conflicts, where due to irresponsible life-styles humanity is seriously putting our planet's environmental stability at risk, and so grows the dramatic need for more, good Scouts.

Let the centenary year also be the occasion for a special commitment. Renewing our Promise today, we should not only look at the past with gratitude to B-P, and to all those who opened for us “the road to success”, giving us the opportunity to live the unique, exciting and involving experience that is Scouting. We should also look with optimism and courage toward the future, with the fleur de lys and our promise firmly guiding us in the direction of creating a better world.
Yours in Scouting,

Eduardo Missoni
Secretary General