Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija, (
Latvian Scout and Guide Central Organisation), the primary national
ScoutingScouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, so that they may play constructive roles in society....
and
GuidingA Guide, Girl Guide or Girl Scout is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations who is between the ages of 10 and 14. Age limits are different in each organisation. It is the female-centred equivalent of the Scouts. The term Girl Scout is used in the United States and several East Asian...
organization of
LatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , and to the southeast by Belarus . Across the Baltic Sea to the west lies Sweden...
is a member of both the
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl ScoutsThe World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England...
and the
World Organization of the Scout MovementThe World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 28 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland...
. The coeducational Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija serves 1,436 members as of 2008.
History
The Latvian Scouting program is based on the principles and methods created by Robert Baden-Powell, later forbidden by the Soviet government in 1940. The first Scout troop in Latvia was established on April 17, 1917 under tsarist Russia, by
Arvīds BredermanisArvīds Brēdermanis was an official of the foreign service of Latvia between the World Wars, and was also a founder of the Latvian Scouting movement.- Early years :...
and other Scouts from
TartuFor the French captain, see Jean-François TartuTartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university....
,
EstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by the Russian Federation...
, followed by several other Scout troops in the
RigaRiga is the capital and largest city of Latvia, a major industrial, commercial, cultural and financial centre of the Baltics, and an important seaport, situated on the mouth of the Daugava...
area. The official founding of Scouting in Latvia is counted to be 1917.
The Latvian Scout Organization
Latvijas Skautu Organizācija was established in 1921, and Latvia was a founding member of the World Organization, from 1922 to 1940.
Guiding was started in Latvia in 1921 under the Latvian Youth Organizations. In early 1922
Latvijas Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija was set up, and Girl Guiding was permitted to operate as an independent organization. Latvia enjoyed a visit from
Olave Baden-PowellOlave St Clair Baden-Powell, Baroness Baden-Powell, GBE was born Olave St Clair Soames in Chesterfield, England...
, World Chief Guide, in 1933 and had a very active Guiding movement until it was banned in 1940.
In 1940, after the Soviet occupation of Latvia, a special officer was appointed by the communists to abolish Scouting. Scouting continued unofficially and underground, operating without uniforms and in the forests to avoid detection. In 1941, the Communists killed the Latvian Scout founder and President,
GeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank. The term or equivalent is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is simply called general.-All general officer...
Kārlis GoppersGeneral Kārlis Goppers was a Latvian military officer and the founder and President of Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija...
(1876-1941). The former Scout Commissioner for Latvia, Valdemārs Klētnieks, fled to the United States as a refugee after
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
With the fall of communism, Scouting reemerged, and in 1989, the first Latvian Scout and Guide camp was organized. In 1990, Latvian Scouts held their fifth National Jamboree, "Renewal" and invited several other countries to participate.
Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija (the Latvian Scout and Guide Central Organization, LSGCO) rejoined the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1993, as well as the
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl ScoutsThe World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England...
. There were 452 registered Scouts (as of 2008) and 984 registered Guides (as of 2003).
In 2000 and 2001 Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija and
Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen ÖsterreichsPfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs is the largest Scouting and Guiding organization in Austria and the only one approved by World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
worked together on the WAGGGS project „Food & Nutrition“ and Latvian Scouts and Guides took part in the Austrian National Jamboree in 2001.
Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija is the largest youth organization in Latvia. LSGCO's goal is to develop physical, mental, moral and social skills in Latvian youth and to develop a loyalty to Latvia. The main purpose is to recognize the needs and wants of Latvian youth and to encourage self development.
Ideals and principles
The organization is based on the following principles:
- Duty to God-encourage the fulfillment of their religion.
- Duty to others-to help other people, your nation and country
- Develop friendship and cooperation among all nations.
- Duty to oneself-being responsible for ones development.
The Scout and Guide Motto is
Esi Modrs, translating as
Be Watchful in Latvian, the response to which is (masculine)
Arvien Modrs!, and (feminine),
Arvien Modra!,
Always Watchful! The Little Fire Motto is
Centīšos!,
I will try. The Latvian noun for a single Scout is
Skauts.
Guide Oath (Gaidu solijums)
- Ar goda vārdu solos visiem spēkiem
- censties: būt uzticīga Dievam un
- Latvijai, palīdzēt tuvākajiem katrā
- brīdi, pildīt gaidu likumus.
- On my honor, I will do my best; to do my duty to God and Latvia, to help other people as all times and to obey the Scout/Guide Law.
Scout Law
- A Scout is trustworthy
- A Scout is loyal to fatherland
- A Scout is self-denying and helpful
- A Scout is friendly and tolerant
- A Scout is courteous
- A Scout is a friend to nature
- A Scout is obedient
- A Scout is alert in hardships
- A Scout is active and thrifty
- A Scout is clean in thoughts, words and deeds
Program sections
- Mazskauts-Cub Scouts/Guntiņa "Little Fire" or Brownies-7 to 11
- Skauts or Scouts/Gaida or Guides-12 to 16
- Lielgaida or Rovers/Rangers-over 16
Gaidu likumi (Guide Law)
- Gaida ir patiesa
- Gaida ir uzticīga Tēvijai
- Gaida ir pašaizliedzīga un palīdzīga
- Gaida ir draudzīga un iecietīga
- Gaida ir pieklājīga
- Gaida ir dabas draudzene
- Gaida ir paklausīga
- Gaida ir moža grūtībās
- Gaida ir darbīga un taupīga
- Gaida ir tīra domās, vārdos un darbos.
Little Fire Promise
- Censties gribu guntiņa
- Paklausīga, laba būt,
- Lai mirdz mans tikumiņš
- Kā mirdz spoža uguntiņa
Emblem
The membership badge of Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija Scout emblem incorporates three stars of the
coat of arms of LatviaThe Latvian National Coat of Arms was formed after the proclamation of an independent Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918 and was officially adopted on June 16, 1921. It was especially created for its independent statehood...
, which embody the idea of the inclusion of historical districts (
VidzemeVidzeme is one of the cultural and historical regions of Latvia. Literally meaning "the Middle Land" it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River...
,
LatgaleLatgalia or Latgale is one of the four cultural and historical regions of Latvia recognised in the Constitution of the Latvian Republic. It is the easternmost region north of the Daugava river...
and combined
CourlandCourland is one of the cultural and historical regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
-
SemigaliaZemgale, also known under Latinized names Semigalia or Semigallia is an historical region of Latvia, sometimes also including a part of Lithuania. The region takes its name from the Baltic people known as Semigallians...
(
Kurzeme-Zemgale) into the united Latvia.
Further reading
- World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, World Bureau (2002), Trefoil Round the World. Eleventh Edition 1997. ISBN 0-900827-75-0
External links