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On October 5^th and 6^th, 2019, the Federal Council gathered in Lviv, Ukraine, for its annual meeting. 16 countries were represented at this General Assembly of the UIGSE-FSE organisation. It was the occasion for the Federal Bureau, elected in 2018, to present its first year of service and to launch different international projects for the scout year 2019-2020.

Despite the windy-rainy autumn weather, the meeting started with a flag ceremony outside, during which the Federal Commission recognized the new General Guide Commissioner of Switzerland. A holy mass was celebrated in Greek-Catholic rite, accompanied by a beautiful choir made of young leaders of the Ukrainian Scouts of Europe association. The beauty of the liturgy compensated largely the fact that a lot of participants are not familiar with the Eastern rite. The Federal Council members could experience again that we do not need to speak the same language in order to be united in prayer and faith in Jesus Christ.

The Federal Council was warmly welcomed by the Ukrainian FSE association that prepared everything needed in order to make a working weekend a most agreeable experience: good meals, a scout cake, guided city tour, small gifts for the participants… and big smiles in all faces!

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Full article in Spanish HERE

The National Road 2019 took place at the weekend of September 21^st and 22^nd. More than 160 rovers and rangers from all Spain could enjoy a lovely landscape and a totally unexpected good weather. Bruno Borde, the Federal Commissioner of the UIGSE, was present in the meeting,

This activity destined to all rovers and senior guides of the Spanish association was the kick-off for a new scout year. It allows to meet rovers and senior guides from other regions and to enjoy the activity with scout friends from all over Spain, made over the years in many different scout activities. Continue reading

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On Sunday September 22nd, the biggest March for Life in Europe took place in Bratislava, Slovakia. Our Slovak scouts could not have been missing! On Saturday evening they attended the opening holy mass with archibishop of Bratislava and on Sunday built the “Scout Town” for the families with children to have a place to play during the day. The event was attended by 50000 people. It was for the 3rd time that Vodkyne a skauti Európy- Guides and Scouts of Europe from Slovakia participated in March for Life. First two Marches in Košice and Bratislava were attended by 80 000 people each, The protection of human life right from the beginning is a hot theme in Slovakia for nearly a decade without a major achievement to change the interruption law that dates back to the communist period.

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August 3rd, 2019, Hall Paul VI, Vatican City

Dear Friends, Good morning and welcome!

I thank Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco for his words and I also thank all of you for being here, and for undertaking a long walk to get here! You have come a long way. Surely you are a little tired. I am certain of one thing: that inside you feel freer than before. I am certain of this. And what does this tell us? That freedom is achieved on the move; it is not bought at the supermarket. It is achieved on the move. Freedom is not achieved by staying locked in a room with a cell phone, nor by overdoing it in order to escape reality somewhat. No, freedom is achieved on the move, step by step, together with others, never alone!

You had five stops on your route, five encounters with great saints who travelled through Europe in different eras: Paul of Tarsus, Benedict of Nursia, Cyril and Methodius, Francis of Assisi, Catherine of Siena. These people, these saints, what did they have in common? They did not wait for something from life or from others, but trusted in God and took risks; they got involved, on the move in order to achieve dreams so great that after centuries they have done good for us too, for you, for everyone. They gave their life; they did not keep it for themselves. So, after these five encounters, I would like to leave you five words. You had five encounters; I would like to leave you five words. They are not my own, but are from the Gospel which accompanied you on your journey and which I invite you to keep with you always, as your navigator — the Gospel is the true navigator for the journey of life — and to open it each day, because the Gospel is the map for life. Here are Jesus’ five words; they are five words, easy to remember: “give, and it will be given to you” (Lk 6:38). Five words, but one entire message, a plan for life. Simple words, which outline a clear route. Give, and it will be given to you.

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