56 experts in scout branches and training from 12 different countries (Albania, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine) met in Wroclaw, Poland, on 16-18 February 2024!
During two days, they talked and reflected about Europe and Patriotism. The weekend started with an interesting conference from Father Thomas Michelet on Europe’s spiritual vocation, that was followed by a workshop on how we implement the European dimension in the scout method. The reflection went on in the afternoon with a lecture given by a very special guest, the archduke Imre von Habsburg-Lothringen, who talked about “Europe and Patriotism: tensions and complementarities”, highlighting the fact that we have to pray for Europe, discover its cultural heritage, live the fraternity and fight for the soul of Europe, by being “creative minorities capable of changing the course of history”. The participants had then to actively participate in workshops, about Patriotism, Patriotism vc Civism (do we need national identity in scouting education?) and Patriotism in scouting practive, a toolbox to have some practical tools to put into practice once back home! That was a weekend full of intense and fruitful reflection.
The Polish logistics team did a wonderful job, welcoming us warmly in a beautiful convent near the mountains. They cooked delicious Polish food for us and organised with the Polish region an original visit of a castle on Saturday night, with some monsters and witches…!
The weekend ended with a closing gathering, where an Ukrainian guide got her green scarf and an Albanian guide got her green flow. Congratulations to them!
Thank you to the Polish team for this wonderful weekend! And thank you to all participants for coming to Poland!
Ad Mariam… Europa !
