From September 3 to 7, 2007, The Association of Scouts of Rwanda (ASR) will host the 13th Africa Scout Conference in La Palisse Hotel in Kigali. This Conference, which will be preceded by the 4th Africa Scout Youth Forum, which will be held on August 30 to September 2, 2007, will have as a topic: “Scouting, an education for a peaceful world , united against violence”.

The dimension of peace was in the think tank of Baden Powell as of the origins of Scouting. The question of peace - and in particular of education for peace - was thus always a fundamental element of Scouting. In fact, the Founder of Scouting decided to put into practice all the tactics which he observed throughout his rich military career at the service of young boys, but this time from a point of view of peace. The principle of Baden Powell was to educate children and young people of all languages, cultures and religions to become, contrary to the military scouts, the scouts of peace hence his last message: “Try to leave this world, when you leave it, a little better than you found it while entering there”.

Scouting continues to work with a view to create a harmonious world which will come true thanks to a culture of peace and not only by avoiding wars. In clearer terms, the WOSM made peace a key topic of our Centenary, in order to make of this 100th anniversary a privileged occasion to commemorate the work completed by Scouting to promote peace, to publicly reaffirm our commitment as a Movement for the advent of a peaceful world, and to create bonds with those who share the same objectives as us. Outstanding activities like donations for peace are organized everywhere in the world.
Indeed, as stipulated in the decennial plan of Scouting in Africa, “the world of today is shaken by a wave of violence without precedent, a wave so wide that even the old havens of peace are today in prey with violence with their procession of terror and destruction….. the young people are in the center of this phenomenon: they are used to sow violence and destruction, and yet they are the first to suffer from them.”   UNESCO tells us that “wars are born in the spirits of men and it is thus in the spirit of men that it is necessary to set up the barriers of peace.”  
For the Rwandans, the organization of this Conference takes on a special seal. It constitutes one more occasion as regards education for peace for the Rwandan young people, the scouts of a country living daily with the aftermath of the genocide of 1994. With this conference, we want to reiterate our “Never Again…”
The Africa Scout Conference is the highest authority which deals with issues of scouting in Africa. Rwanda also has this great chance to organize this very important international meeting within the framework of international relations. Scouting is present in many countries of Africa and the world.

39 countries of the African Scout Region will be invited to the Conference as well as partner scouts from other continents. They will be represented by the high authorities of National Scout Associations. Will also be invited certain eminent people from international organizations which are related to scouting by partnerships of various forms.
The Scout Conference is always preceded by the Africa Scout Youth Forum which is also an occasion for the young people to speak about the most important issues which are facing the scouting and somehow related to the topic chosen. The young people will come from the countries invited to the conference.
The Africa Scout Youth Forum and the Africa Scout Conference will gather a significant number of participants, who are delegates from the African countries members of the World Organization for the Scout Movement, organization partners of the WOSM and Africa Region as well as various partners of the Rwandan Scouting.

Accomodation for Speakers

Dates

From August 30 to September 2, 2007: Youth Forum
Venue: Kigali City, La Palisse Hotel

From September 3 to 7, 2007: Conference
Venue: Kigali City, La Palisse Hotel

Topic of the Conference

French
 « Le Scoutisme, une éducation pour un monde de paix uni contre la violence »
 English
«Scouting, education for a peaceful world united against violence»
Kinyarwanda
«Ubusukuti, inzira y' uburere bugamije isi y' amahoro, yunze ubumwe mu kurwanya ihohoterwa»

Registration

Forms of registration; choose any:

1.Ordinary mail addressed to:

Committee of the preparation of the 13th African Scouting Conference
Association of Scouts of Rwanda
B.P. 775
 Kigali - Rwanda

2. Send a fax to (+250) 57 30 91

3. E-mail: rwanda.africaconference2007@yahoo.fr

NB: Reserve a copy for the African Regional Office

Main Office - Nairobi

Africa Regional Office
P.O. Box 63070
 00200, City Square
 Nairobi
KENYA
Email: afrscout@africa.scout.org
 Phone 1: (+254 20) 387 71 23
Phone 2: (+254 20) 387 34 36
Fax 1: (+254 20) 387 83 42
Fax 2: (+1 209) 436 36 55
Home Page: http://www.scout.org/africa

The registration form is available on our Web site, it can also be found from the associations invited.

Registration fees

 The participation fees for the Youth Forum include housing for all the length of time, the documents relating to the program of the Forum as well as all the meals. The participation fees for the Conference include only the documents relating to the program of the Conference as well as the breakfasts and coffee breaks had during the Conference.

Mode of payment
Bank transfer (Swift) in American dollars (the account will be notified in due course)

Person in charge
Director of the 13th African Scouting Conference
Association of Scouts of Rwanda
B.P 775 Kigali
Tel./fax: (00250) 573091
Email: rwanda.africaconference2007@yahoo.fr

We will be very happy to be with you in Rwanda, Country of the Thousand Hills, for the Conference and the Youth Forum!!!