Éclaireuses et Éclaireurs de France (''Guides and Scouts of France'', EEdF) is an interreligious and coeducational Scouting and Guiding association in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. The first interreligious Scouting groups in France were founded in 1911, and interreligious Guiding started in 1914; both movements merged in 1964 forming the EEdF. The association serves today about 17,000 members of both sexes. EEdF is a member of

Scoutisme Français The Fédération du Scoutisme Français (''Federation of French Scouting'') is an umbrella organization that combines the efforts of the several Scouting and Guiding associations in France and also represents the Scouting movement in French Guia ...

and through this federation also a member of both 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. WOSM ...

and the

World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS ) is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Guiding and Scouting organizations in 152 countries. It was established in 1928 in Parád, Hungary, and has its ...

Emblem

The bow and arrow were chosen as emblems by the founders of the Eclaireurs de France in 1911. The trefoil is for the girls and women. The four colours (orange, green, red, blue) represent the four age groups.

History

In 1911, two interreligious Scouting organizations were founded in France: the ''Eclaireurs de France'' (EdF) by Nicolas Benoit and the ''Eclaireurs Français'' (EF) by

Pierre de Coubertin Charles Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin (; born Pierre de Frédy; ...

. Three years later, the first Guide groups emerged. They formed the ''Fédération des Eclaireuses'' (FEE) in 1921. In the same year the EdF started the

Cub Scout Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...

section; Rovering followed in 1926. In the 1930s, André Lefèvre, chief of the Eclaireurs de France, set up a training camp for 60 Scoutmasters from all over

French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...

. During World War II, the EdF was among the founding members of the ''Fédération du Scoutisme Français'' in 1941. In 1947 some leaders left the EdF for its laical attitude and founded the

Eclaireurs Neutres de France The Éclaireurs Neutres de France (''Neutral (= interreligious) Scouts of France'', ENF) is a non-aligned French Scouting association, founded in 1947 by Marcel Lepage and serving 3,000 to 4,000 members of both genders. The association has no p ...

with a more positive position to religion. Despite this the membership of the EdF reached 50,000 Scouts in 1948. The ''Eclaireurs de France'' and the ''Fédération des Eclaireuses'' started a process of mutual approach in 1949. This led to joint national jamborees and finally led to the merger of the EdF, the EF and the FEE in 1964 under the name ''Eclaireuses et Eclaireurs de France''. In 1989, five local groups left the EEdF forming the

Fédération des Eclaireuses et Eclaireurs The Fédération des éclaireuses et éclaireurs (FEE, ''Guides and Scouts Federation'') is an umbrella federation of about 15 regional Scouting and Guiding associations in France. It was founded in 1989 and serves about 2000 members. The FEE is ...

Program

Values

The EEdF has formulated five core values that are fundamental for the whole association: *

Laïcité (; 'secularism') is the constitutional principle of secularism in France. Article 1 of the French Constitution is commonly interpreted as discouraging religious involvement in government affairs, especially religious influence in the determin ...

: The association and its members respect the diversity of mankind and fight against all types of discrimination and intolerance. * Coeducation means to educate both girls and boys in the same groups for mutual understanding and acceptance. *

Democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which people, the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation ("direct democracy"), or to choo ...

means to have the choice between equal opportunities, to allow everybody her or his rights and duties to participate in common projects and to take responsibilities. * Openness and solidarity help to be open to the world and to others and to develop a spirit of exchange and working together. * Engagement for the

environment Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, all living and non-living things occurring naturally * Biophysical environment, the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism or ...

means to know and understand the world, to act for its protection and to respect its balance and harmony.

Sections

The association is divided in four sections, distinguished by ages, and a fifth one for leaders: * ''Les lutins et lutines'' (Pixies) - ages 6 to 8 * ''Les louveteaux et louvettes'' (

Cub Scouts Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...

) - ages 8 to 11 * ''Les éclaireuses et éclaireurs'' ( Guides and Scouts) - ages 11 to 15 * ''Les aînés'' ("Elders" -

Rover Scouts Rover Scouts, Rovers, Rover Scouting or Rovering is a program associated with some Scouting organizations for adult men and women. A group of Rovers is called a 'Rover Crew'. Rovers was originated by The Boy Scouts Association in the United ...

) - ages 15 to 18 * ''Les Djaé'' - ages 18 to 25 * ''Les responsables d'animation'' (Leaders) - ages 17 and older

Scout Promise

The EdF were one of the few Scouting associations who were allowed to use the Alternative Promise by

Robert Baden-Powell Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; (Commonly pronounced by others as ) 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the wor ...

. This led to grave turbulences in the 1950s and finally to the introduction of a religious formula which may be used by the Scouts and Guides but is not an integral part of the

Scout Promise The Scout Promise (or Oath) is a spoken statement made by a child joining the Scout movement. Since the publication of ''Scouting for Boys'' in 1908, all Scouts and Girl Guides around the world have taken a Scout (or Guide) promise or oath to li ...

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eclaireuses Et Eclaireurs De France Scouting and Guiding in France World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts member organizations World Organization of the Scout Movement member organizations Youth organizations established in 1964 1964 establishments in France