The Scout movement, also known as Scouting or the Scouts, is a voluntary non-political educational movement for young people. Although it requires an oath of allegiance to a nation's leaders and, in some countries, to a god, it otherwise allows membership without distinction of gender, race or origin in accordance with the principles of its founder, Lord Baden-Powell. The purpose of the Scout Movement is to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. During the first half of the twentieth century, the movement grew to encompass three major age groups for boys: Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Rover Scout. In 1910, the Girl Guides was created, encompassing three major age groups for girls: Brownie Guide, Girl Guide and Girl Scout and Ranger Guide. It is one of several worldwide youth organizations.
The Scouts of China or the General Association of the Scouts of China in full, is the national Scouting association of the Republic of China and represents the Scouting organization in Taiwan. It is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. In 2011, the Scouts of China has 49,457 members.
Scouting Nederland is the national Scout organisation of the Netherlands with approximately 110,000 members (53,324 male and 54,663 female, 87,000 youth members, as of 2010.
Scouts of Syria is the national Scout and Guide organization of Syria. Scouting in Syria was founded in 1912; Guiding started in the 1950s. The coeducational association serves 9,358 members and is a member of both the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
Gerakan Pramuka Indonesia is the national scouting organization of Indonesia. Scouting was founded in the Dutch East Indies in 1912, and Indonesia became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1953. Its membership is compulsory for students. It has 21,599,748 members, making it the world's largest Scout association. Each year 14 August is celebrated as Pramuka Day to honour the organisation's first public parade in 1961, wherein independence hero Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX of Yogyakarta was appointed as the first Chief Scout of the GPI.
Gidsen- en Scoutsbeweging in België (Dutch) or Guidisme et Scoutisme en Belgique (French) (GSB) is the national Guiding and Scouting federation in Belgium. Scouting in Belgium started in 1911, and Guiding followed in 1915. The Belgian Scouts were among the charter members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1922, and the Guides were one of the founding members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) in 1928. The federation counts 96,837 Scouts and 59,268 Guides.
Scouting Antiano is the national Scouting organization of the former Netherlands Antilles. It serves 1,600 members in 25 Scout groups, 21 Scout groups on Curaçao, two on Sint Maarten, two on Bonaire, none on Saba and Sint Eustatius. Since 2016, Scouting Antiano is a full member World Organization of the Scout Movement. Until then, it was an associate member of the Interamerican Region of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
The Association Nationale des Scouts d'Haïti is the national Scouting organisation of Haiti. Scouting in Haiti started in 1916 and became a member of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1932 and again in 1940. The coeducational association has 43,618 members.
The Mauritius Scout Association is a Scouting organisation in Mauritius. The association was founded in 1971 and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1971. The coeducational association had 2,782 members.
The Asociación de Scouts de Nicaragua is the national Scouting organization of Nicaragua. Scouting in Nicaragua started in 1917 and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1946. The coeducational association has 1,509 members.
The Association des Scouts du Rwanda is the national Scouting organization of Rwanda. Scouting in Rwanda was founded in 1940 and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1975. The coeducational association has 18,884 members.
The Saint Lucia Scout Association (SLSA) is the national Scouting organization of Saint Lucia. Scouting in Saint Lucia started in 1910 and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1990. The coeducational association has 393 members.
The Scout Association of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is the national Scouting organization of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Scouting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines started in 1911 and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1990. The coeducational association has 549 members.
The Tanzania Scouts Association (TSA) is the national Scouting organization of Tanzania. Scouting in Tanzania was founded in 1917, and became a member of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1963. The coeducational association has 538,933.members as of 2010.
André Kamperveen Stadium, formerly the National Stadion, is a multi-purpose stadium in Paramaribo, Suriname. Since its opening in 1953, the stadium has been the official home stadium of both football teams S.V. Transvaal and S.V. Robinhood and the official national stadium of the Suriname national football team. With an official capacity of 7,100, it is the largest stadium in Suriname.
Johan Henri Eliza Ferrier was a Surinamese politician who served as the 1st President of Suriname from 25 November 1975 to 13 August 1980. He was that country's last governor before independence, from 1968 to 1975, and first president after it gained independence from the Netherlands.
The Surinaamse Padvindsters Raad is the national Guiding organization of Suriname. It serves 502 members. The girls-only organization became an associate member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1972.
Scouting has sometimes become entangled in social controversies such as in nationalist resistance movements in India. Scouting was introduced to Africa by British officials as an instrument of colonial authority but became a subversive challenge to the legitimacy of British imperialism as Scouting fostered solidarity amongst African Scouts. There are also controversies and challenges within the Scout Movement itself such as current efforts to turn Scouts Canada into a democratic organization.
