70 years of UIGSE: Back to Our Roots, Looking to the Future!

On 3-4 October 2026, Cologne hosted the UIGSE Federal Council, bringing together presidents, general commissioners, religious advisers, secretaries, members of the Federal Bureau and the federal team.

Representatives from 21 associations gathered to celebrate a special milestone in the history of our Union, with participants from Albania, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Cologne holds a particular significance: it was here, on 1 November 1956, in Machabäerstraße, that the UIGSE’s story began. We were happy to welcome former members to this meeting: Jeanne Taillefer, Secretary of the Union 1979-2014, Martin Hafner, Federal Commissioner 2012-2018, and Father Pierre François, Federal Religious Adviser 2019-2021. We looked back with gratitude and humility on these 70 years of scouting, service and fraternity, remembering that each generation is called to give its best before passing the torch to the next.

The weekend featured fruitful discussions on the anniversary year, the Federal Bureau’s moral and financial reports, Eurojam, Eurocamps, Euroroads, international training camps and the future projects of our federation. We were also delighted to welcome Bulgaria as an observer association within the UIGSE.

On this occasion, we unveiled the special “70 Years of UIGSE” badge, inviting associations to organise encounters with Scout brothers and sisters from other countries, especially neighbouring ones.

Our challenge: 70 international encounters by the end of summer 2027!

Back to our roots, looking to the future: who is ready to take up the challenge?