The Lebanese Scouting Federation (french: Fédération du scoutisme libanais, ar, إتحاد كشاف لبنان), is the national

federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

of 29

Scouting Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...

organisations of

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

, founded in 1961. The federation became a member of the

World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOS ...

in 1947.

History

Scouting was introduced in Lebanon by two teachers, Abdul Satar and Mohammad Abdul Jabbar Khairy who received support from

Toufik El Hibri Sheikh Toufik El Hibri, (1869–1954) ( ar, توفيق الهبري) was one of the primary founders of the Scout movement in Lebanon, as well as one of the earliest promoters of the Scouting movement in the Arab world, while much of the region w ...

. They came to Lebanon from England in 1912 and established the first Scout troop in the school owned by El Hibri, where they worked. This troop had many activities, later including a trip to

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

, where they met with

Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...

Mehmed V Mehmed V Reşâd ( ota, محمد خامس, Meḥmed-i ḫâmis; tr, V. Mehmed or ; 2 November 1844 – 3 July 1918) reigned as the 35th and penultimate Ottoman Sultan (). He was the son of Sultan Abdulmejid I. He succeeded his half-brother ...

. Members of this troop played an important role in spreading the Scouting and Guiding movement in Lebanon and other countries. After Lebanon gained its independence in 1943, Scouting further spread rapidly to cover every part of the country. During the

Lebanese civil war The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...

, Scouts from all associations played an important role in helping civilians, distributing food, medicine, and other forms of aid to refugees. Some Scouting associations formed

first aid First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person with either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery. It includes initial in ...

groups that helped the wounded. Scouts also participated in peace campaigns to help put an end to that war. During the war, Scouts from all sides of the conflict remained brothers and remained in contact with each other, manifesting a good example of unity for all Lebanese. All this added to the reputation of Scouting in Lebanon, with Lebanese people tending to respect Scouts and many parents encouraging their children to join the movement. Today, years after the end of the civil war, Scouting in Lebanon still faces great tasks, with Lebanon being involved in large reconstruction plans aimed to erase effects of the war and to enable it to regain its advanced role in the region and the world. The role of the Scouts include promoting peace and unity through campaigns and summer camps for youth and children. In 1973, Muhammad El Hibri was awarded the ''

Bronze Wolf The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee (WSC) to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement". It is the highest honor that can be given a volunteer Scout leader in the world and it is the ...

'', the only distinction of the

, awarded by the

World Scout Committee The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...

for exceptional services to world Scouting. Other recipients include Dr. Farid Karam in 1977 and

Rashid Shoucair Rashid Shoucair ( ar, رشيد شقير) served as President of the Lebanese Scouting Federation. In 1981, he was awarded the 151st ''Bronze Wolf'', the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization o ...

in 1981. The ''Arab Regional

Jamboree In Scouting, a jamboree is a large gathering of Scouting, Scouts who rally at a national or international level. History The 1st World Scout Jamboree was held in 1920, and was hosted by the United Kingdom. Since then, there have been twenty-thre ...

'' was planned to be held in Lebanon in August 2006. However, without a stable and peaceful environment, the leaders of the Arab Scout Region decided to defer the date of the event to be in

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

during 2007.

Organisation

Membership

The following 30 organisations are members of the federation, including an overall estimated membership of 100,000 Scouts: while the membership number reported to the World Organization of the Scout Movement stood at 14,334 Scouts in 2005. * ''Al-Aamiely Scouts - Scouts al Amily'' * ''Al-Etihady Lebanese Scouts'' * ''Al-Jarrah Scouts in Lebanon - Scouts Al Jarrah'' * ''Al-Mabarrat Scouts'' * ''Al-Mahaba Scouts'' * ''Al Mashari Scouts Association - Scouts des Macharihs'' * ''Al-Nahda Scouts'' * ''Al-Sahel Scouts in Lebanon'' * ''Al-Takadomy Scouts'' * ''Association of Arab Scouts in Lebanon - Association des Scouts arabes au Liban'' * ''Byblos Scout - Scouts de Byblos'' * ''Cedars Scouts - Scouts des Cèdres'' * ''Christian Scouts - Scouts Chrétiens'' * ''Environmental Scouts'' * ''Future Lebanon Scouts - Scouts du Liban futur'' * ''

Imam al-Mahdi Scouts The Imam al-Mahdi Scouts ( ar, , Kashafat al-Imam al-Mahdi) is a youth movement that was established in Lebanon on 5 May 1985 by the political and paramilitary organization Hezbollah. It is named for Muhammad al-Mahdi. The Imam al-Mahdi Scouts b ...

'' * ''Independence Scouts - Scouts de l'Indépendance'' * ''Islamic Risala Scout Association'' * ''Lebanese Eghatha Scouts'' * ''Lebanese Scout Association - Eclaireurs du Liban'' * ''Lebanese Syriac Scouts - Scouts syriaques libanais'' * ''Lycée National Scout Association - Scouts du Lycée National'' * ''Makassed Islamic Scout Organization - Scouts musulmans du Makkassed'' * ''Maronite Scouts - Scouts maronites'' * '' Muslim Scout Association of Lebanon'' * ''National Education Scouts - Scouts de l'Education Nationale'' * ''National Lebanese Scouts - Scouts nationaux libanais'' * ''National Orthodox Scout Association - Scout national orthodoxe'' * ''Orthodox Scouts of Beirut - Scouts Orthodoxes de Beyrouth'' * ''Scouts de Secours'' * ''Scouts of Homenetmen Lebanon - Scouts Homentmens'' * ''

Scouts of Lebanon Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, ...

- Les Scouts du Liban''Scouts of Lebanon
/ref>

Insignia

The membership badge of the Lebanese Scouting Federation and many of the member Scout emblems incorporate the

Cedar of Lebanon ''Cedrus libani'', the cedar of Lebanon or Lebanese cedar (), is a species of tree in the genus cedrus, a part of the pine family, native to the mountains of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. It is a large evergreen conifer that has great religi ...

, the

national symbol A national symbol is a symbol of any entity considering and manifesting itself to the world as a national community: the sovereign states but also nations and countries in a state of colonial or other dependence, federal integration, or even an ...

. The

Scout Motto The Scout Motto of the Scout movement is, in English, "Be Prepared", with most international branches of the group using a close translation of that phrase. These mottoes have been used by millions of Scouts around the world since 1907. Most of t ...

is ''Be Prepared'' (french: Toujours Prêt, ar, كن مستعداً, ''Kun Musta'idan''), and also ''Always Ready'' in

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

. The Arabic language

noun A noun () is a word that generally functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas.Example nouns for: * Living creatures (including people, alive, d ...

for a single Scout is ''Kashaf'' ( ar, كشاف).

References

*''Scouting 'Round the World'', John S. Wilson, first edition, Blandford Press 1959. {{WOSM, arab Scouting and Guiding in Lebanon Youth organizations established in 1961 World Organization of the Scout Movement member organizations

History

Organisation

Membership

Insignia

See also

References