The
Plast National Scout Organization of Ukraine commonly called
Ukrainian Plast or simply
Plast is the largest
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....
organization in
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
.
First Phase: 1911-1920
Plast was founded in Lviv, Ukraine in 1911 as the Ukrainian Scout Organization. Ukrainian Scouting has been known since its inception as "Plast". In Ukrainian a
plastunPlastun or plastoon was originally a Cossack in dismounted scouting and sentry military units in Black Sea Cossack Host and later in Kuban Cossack Host in the 19th and 20th centuries. These dismounted units were introduced during the Russian-Circassian War to guard and scout beyond the "Kuban...
is an historical name for a
CossackCossacks were originally members of military communities in the uninhabited borderland areas in the steppe that lies North of Black Sea...
scoutReconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
and
sentrySentry may refer to:*A sentry is a guard at a gate or other point of passage. See General Orders for Sentries*Sentry , an automatic near-Earth asteroid collision monitoring system...
serviceman. The founder of Ukrainian Scouting, Dr.
Oleksander TysovskyDr. Oleksander Tysovsky , pseudonym: "Drot", was the founder of the Ukrainian Scouting organization Plast in 1911, and adapted the universal Scout principles to the needs and interests of Ukrainian youth. In 1944 he emigrated to Vienna...
(alternately Oleksandr Tysowskyj), affectionately known as "Drot," adapted the universal Scout principles to the needs and interests of Ukrainian youth.
Born during great social and political upheavals in Europe, Ukrainian Plast came into being to fulfill specific national aims, unlike other Scout organizations. The first Scout troops were formed in L'viv in 1911, then a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by
Petro FrankoPetro Franko son of Ivan Franko, was a Ukrainian educator and author, a co-founder of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization. Born in the town of Nahuyevychi near Drohobych, he graduated from the Lviv Polytechnic Institute, and from 1914 served in the legion of the partisan Sichovi Striltsi...
and Ivan Chmola. The official date of the founding of Plast is generally deemed to be 12 April 1912, at the L'viv Academic Gymnasium by Dr. Oleksander Tysovsky.
Scouting spread rapidly to the other cities and towns, and by 1913 the first Supreme Scout Council had been formed and the first handbook published. The same year, the Orhanizatsiyniy Plast Komitet was formed in Lviv by Plast groups from different regions, and the first hiking camp was organized.
By 1916 its membership exceeded 10,000, and it was a fully developed and functioning organization, consisting of separate branches of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. Ukrainian Plast held regular camps for Cubs, Scouts and Rovers, training courses for leaders, and produced a variety of Scout publications, including a Ukrainian translation of '
Scouting for BoysScouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship is the first book on the Scout Movement, published in 1908. It was written and illustrated by Robert Baden-Powell, its founder...
'.
Shortly after its founding,
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
brought about the collapse of the two powers occupying ethnic Ukrainian territory, Austria-Hungary and tsarist Russia, and the formation of the Ukrainian National Republic in 1918. The subsequent years witnessed a great upswing in Scouting, as it spread into the towns and communities where it had been previously unknown, mainly in the newly freed central provinces of Ukraine. Hundreds, if not thousands, of boys, inspired by the ideals of service to God and Country which Scouting engenders, volunteered to join the armed forces, fighting on several fronts, and many gave their lives.
Second Phase: 1920-1930
The occupation of central Ukraine by the
Red ArmyThe Red Army The Red Army The Red Army was the Soviet government’s revolutionary militia beginning in the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the USSR. Since 1946, after the Second World War, it was called the Soviet Army.The 'Red...
in 1922 led to an immediate abolition of all Scout activities in this region. In the Romanian area of
BukovinaBukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains...
, the development of Plast was likewise hampered. Ukrainian Scouting was among the first to suffer what later became the fate of many Scout Associations throughout the world. In areas later to become western Ukraine, which included parts of
CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and
PolandThe Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; from the creation of an independent Polish state in the aftermath of World War I, to the invasion of Poland in 1939 by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and the Slovak Republic,...
, the Scout movement emerged from the ruins of war with renewed vitality. During this period, Ukrainian Scouting first requested international recognition, but was denied on political grounds.
In spite of numerous obstacles, Plast developed rapidly in the Polish areas, with high levels of membership among students, farmers and workers. A key sponsor was Metropolitan Andriy Sheptytsky, the Archbishop of the
Ukrainian Greek Catholic ChurchThe Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , also known as the Ukrainian Catholic Church, is one of the successor Churches to the acceptance of Christianity by Grand Prince Vladimir the Great of Kyiv, in 988. UGCC is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with...
(1901-1944), who donated a campsite called "Sokil" in the
Carpathian MountainsThe Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the largest mountain range in Europe...
. A number of publications are introduced, including the official organ
Molode Zhyttia and Dr. Oleksander Tysovsky's seminal handbook,
Zhyttia v Plasti.
In the late 1920s, external pressure on the part of the Polish authorities seriously impaired further growth of Plast on its territory, and eventually led to an outright abolition of Ukrainian Scouting in 1928 in the Volyn region, and in Halychyna in 1930. However, Plast continued to flourish in
Carpathian RutheniaCarpathian Ruthenia, aka Transcarpathian Ruthenia, Transcarpathian Ukraine, Zakarpattia, Rusinko, Subcarpathian Rus, Subcarpathia is a small region in Central Europe, now...
, the ethnic Ukrainian area within Czechoslovakia, and maintained a close liaison with the underground Scout units in parts of central Ukraine under the Soviet Union until
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...
and Western Ukraine under Poland. The Plast groups in Carpathian Ruthenia and Praha were members of the Union of
Junak Scouts and Guides of the Republic of CzechoslovakiaJunák, or more properly, Junák - svaz skautů a skautek ČR Junák, or more properly, Junák - svaz skautů a skautek ČR Junák, or more properly, Junák - svaz skautů a skautek ČR (Association of Scouts and Guides of the Czech Republic, is the largest association of Scouts and Guides of the Czech Republic...
and through this federation of the two World organizations. A headquarters was opened in Praha. Ukrainian Scouts took part in the World Jamboree at Arrowe Park in 1929and as part of the Czechoslovak contingent in the fourth World Jamboree at
GödöllőGödöllő is a town situated in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, about northeast from the outskirts of Budapest. Its population is about 31,000 according to the 2001 census. It can be easily reached from Budapest with the suburban railway...
in 1933, attempting to make the World Scouting aware of the suppression of free Scout activities in Ukraine.
Third Phase: 1930-1944
In Western Ukraine, Plast, though banned, continued to operate illegally and conspirationally under the auspices of the Plast Center. Plast activities continued to be undertaken, via the Commission of Educational Campsites, the "Ridna Shkola" and published in the journal
Vohni.
The Polish leadership pursued this activity and punished such activities with arrests and internment.
By 1939,
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...
broke out and membership in Plast saw a resurgence in western Ukraine, although the occupying German forces again banned Plast, yet activity continued. As in the previous war, many
plastuny took up arms in various armies that traversed western and eastern Ukraine during the war.
During the years under Communism and the Soviet Union, Scouting was banned in Ukraine, but the Plast organization continued to exist
in exileScouts-in-Exile, also referred to as Scouts-in-Exteris, are Scouting and Guiding groups formed outside of their native country as a result of war and changes in governments...
around the world.
Fourth Phase: 1945-1950
Ukrainian Scouting was hampered by World War II, but Plast managed to survive the war and began to flourish again in the
displaced persons campA Displaced Persons camp is in principle any temporary facility for Displaced Persons. In recent times Displaced Persons Camps have existed in many parts of the world for many kinds of people, including for people in the Darfur region of the Sudan, for Palestinians in Lebanon and Jordan, and for...
s under the occupation of the Western Powers. The successful commemoration of the 35th Anniversary of the Movement in 1947 was the highlight of Plast activities at that time. Multiple groups of
plastuny met at the
Holovna Plastova Rada in
MunichMunich is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. It is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg...
.
Ukrainian Scouting became a member of the Displaced Persons Division of the Boy Scouts International Bureau. A delegation of over 40 Scouts and Scouters participated in the sixth
World Scout JamboreeThe World Scout Jamboree is a Scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of Scouts from around the world, aged 14 to 17....
at
MoissonMoisson is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-History:On 12 November, 1903, the Lebaudy brothers made a controlled dirigible flight of 54 km from Moisson to Paris....
in 1947 and a smaller group in the seventh World Jamboree at
Bad IschlBad Ischl is a spa town in Austria. It lies in the southern part of Upper Austria, at the Traun River in the centre of the Salzkammergut region. The town consists of the Katastralgemeinden Ahorn, Bad Ischl, Haiden, Jainzen, Kaltenbach, Lauffen, Lindau, Pfandl, Perneck, Reiterndorf and Rettenbach...
in 1951.
After the mass resettlement of Ukrainians between 1948 and 1950, Plast was reorganized and branches permanently established in a number of western countries with large Ukrainian communities, such as the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
,
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
, the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and
ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
, where it continues to flourish and expand.
Fifth Phase: 1950-1989
Ukrainian Scouting was represented at the ninth
World Scout JamboreeThe World Scout Jamboree is a Scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of Scouts from around the world, aged 14 to 17....
at
Sutton ColdfieldSutton Coldfield is a town in the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham, in the northeast of the city, with a population of 105,452 recorded in the 2001 census...
in 1957, at the second and third
World Scout IndabaThe World Scout Indaba was a gathering of Scout Leaders from around the world, a sort of World Jamboree for Scouters. Created at the 1949 12th World Scout Conference in Elvesaeter, Norway, the British Scout Association submitted that of the great number of Scouters working in a Pack, Troop or Crew,...
s and at the tenth World Scout Jamboree at Makiling Park in 1959. Ukrainian Scouters delegated by the Executive Council participated as observers in the sixteenth and seventeenth International Conferences in 1957 and 1959, respectively.
In 1957, Plast celebrated its 45th Anniversary with a national camp in their training and camping centre
Plastova Sich in Canada. Oleksander Tysovsky took part in this camp.
In the summer of 1962, Ukrainian Scouting celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a National Jamboree on its own permanent campsite ("Vovcha Tropa") at East Chatham, New York, in which over 2,000 members, as well as Scouts of other national associations participated. Subsequent anniversaries were celebrated in 1972 (again in East Chatham, New York), 1978 (Alberta, Canada) and every five years thereafter.
In 1976 Plast were among the founder members of the Associated International Scout and Guide Organizations in 1976. An umbrella organization for
Scouts-in-ExileScouts-in-Exile, also referred to as Scouts-in-Exteris, are Scouting and Guiding groups formed outside of their native country as a result of war and changes in governments...
.
The location of Plast's global headquarters would vary based on the leadership elected at each
Holovna Plastova Rada, although the centers of administration tended to be
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
and
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Plast was quite active in publishing, with the key publications:
- Hotuis (for novaky or New Scouts)
- Yunak (for yunaky or Scouts)
- Plastoviy Shliakj (for starshi plastuny and seniory, that is Older Scouts and Senior Scouts).
- Vohon' Orlynoyi Rady (for leaders and counselors to novaky)
- V dorohu z Yunatstvom (for leaders and counselors to yunaky)
- Av-u and Tam-Tam (for members of the Siromantsi fraternity)
- OX Kvartal'nyk (for members of the Orden Khrestonostsiv
Orden Khrestonistsiv is a male fraternity of the Ukrainian Plast Scouting organization. It is sequentially the 5th kurin' of 'Older Scouts' and the 20th kurin' of 'Senior Scouts'...
fraternity)
And numerous local, regional and fraternal bulletins, publications, journals and handbooks, many of which were published by Plast Publishing.
In addition to creating over a dozen campsites, Plast members built or acquired over 30 facilities or
domivky where they could hold activities, generally on a weekly basis. Several stores, including
Molode Zhyttia in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
, provided uniforms, emblems, publications and other goods. Several foundations and organizations provided and continue to provide support.
Sixth Phase: 1990 to present
When the
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
began to crumble, Scouting appeared clandestinely. The first Plast camp was organized in the summer of 1989 and was raided by the Soviet secret police (
KGBThe KGB was the national security agency of the USSR. From 1954 until 1991, the Committee for State Security was the Communist state's premier secret police, internal security, and espionage organization, whose coat of arms—the Shield and the Sword—illustrate a national military hierarchy...
); several Scouts were beaten and arrested. Nevertheless, Scouting and Plast persisted.
Since the end of Soviet
communismCommunism is a socioeconomic structure and political ideology that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property in general. Karl Marx posited that communism would be the final stage in human...
and the birth of an independent Ukraine in 1991, Ukrainian Plast Scouting has been growing rapidly in every corner of the country. This included units in
KievKiev or Kyiv , is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300...
,
LutskLutsk is a city located by the Styr River in north-western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Lutskyi Raion within the oblast...
and
DonetskDonetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river...
. The most active region, however, was in
LvivLviv is a major city in western Ukraine.It is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically also for Ukraine’s neighbour Poland. The historic centre of Lviv with its old buildings and cobblestone roads has survived the Second World War and the Soviet presence...
, where on 22 February 1990, the town council enacted the
Statut Plastovoho Tovarystva.
Plast-in-Exile supported the restart of Plast in the Ukraine.
At the beginning of 1995, there were 85 local groups and councils, with over 3,500 Scouts.
In August 1997, Plast Ukrainian Scouting celebrated the 85th anniversary since the first Scouting units appeared in Ukraine in 1911, with a Plast Jamboree at the renamed Sokil Plast Museum-Camp, attended by 700 Scouts from 34 units throughout Ukraine. Highlights of this Jamboree included the inauguration the third
Nachalniy Plastun (Chief Scout) in Plast's history, and the first ever inaugurated in Ukraine, Dr.
Lubomyr RomankiwLubomyr T. Romankiw is an IBM Fellow researcher at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York.Romankiw earned his B.S. from the University of Alberta in 1957, and both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962. He is listed as an...
on 10 August 1997; the opening of the Museum at this historic campsite, donated by Metropolitan
Andrey SheptytskyMetropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1901 until his death...
, which had been used by Plast from 1924-1944; and the attendance of several Scouts from the First Phase of Ukrainian Scouting, including the 93-year-old composer
Mykola KolessaMykola Kolessa was a prominent Ukrainian composer and conductor, born in the village of Sambir near Lviv and died in Lviv....
.
In addition,
other Scouting groupsScouting in Ukraine received World Organization of the Scout Movement recognition in July 2008. The Eurasian Region headquarters is located on Ukrainian territory.-2008 WOSM recognition:...
have been spontaneously appearing, mostly in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine. Most of them participated, together with Plast, in the Ukrainian delegation to the 18th
World Scout JamboreeThe World Scout Jamboree is a Scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of Scouts from around the world, aged 14 to 17....
in the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
in 1995, as well as the First All-Ukrainian Scout Jamboree in Nevytske, and the Second Slavic Jamboree in
PraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" , "city of a hundred spires", or Stověžatá Praha in Czech and "the golden city" or Zlaté město in Czech.Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the...
,
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
.
33 Ukrainian Scouts were invited to take part in the
19th World Scout JamboreeThe 19th World Jamboree in Chile, the first ever in South America, took place at a site in the foothills of the Andes, some south of the capital city of Santiago...
in 1999.
Plast Publishing largely moved back to Ukraine, with financial and editorial support from international units, and publishes a magazine for both younger Scouts,
Hotuys (Be Prepared), and for older Scouts
Yunak ... as with all Plast publications, these monthly publications are written in Ukrainian. They are also distributed internationally.
As of 2006, Plast has over 10,000 members in Ukraine, and an additional 3,000 members in other countries.
The 95th anniversary jubilee occurred in August 2007, with a
Zustrich at the
Plastova Sich campsite in
Grafton, OntarioGrafton is a community located in the province of Ontario. It is located in Northumberland County, in the township of Alnwick/Haldimand. It is 12 km east of Cobourg, Ontario on the former Highway 2 , with close access to Highway 401. The village is near the geographically significant Oak Ridges...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Over 1200 yunaky attended the camp, from August 4 to 19.
Tabir Pryhilniky was at Camp Baturyn, just outside Montreal, Quebec. Tabir Uchasnyky was held in
Algonquin Provincial ParkAlgonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Central Ontario, Canada, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. It is the first provincial park in Canada having been established in 1893. It covers about 7,653 square...
, in central Ontario. Tabir Rosviduvachi was held in Samuel de Champlain Park, also in Ontario. Tabir Skobiv and Virlits was in Killarney Park, on Lake Huron, in western Ontario.
WOSM recognition
Plast is working with the various other Ukrainian Scouting organizations to develop a national Scouting federation and to achieve recognition by 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...
. All duties in Ukrainian Scouting, from local to the National Council levels, are performed by a combination volunteer workers and paid professionals.
In 2004, the Ukrainian Scout Youth Public Organization
Spilka Pionerskykh Orhanizatzii Kyïva (literally
KievKiev or Kyiv , is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300...
PioneerA pioneer movement is an organization for children operated by a communist party. Typically children enter into the organization in elementary school and continue until adolescence. The adolescents then typically joined Komsomol or a similar organization...
Movement Organization or SPOK, with a membership of 3,750 in 18 of 26
Ukrainian oblastsUkraine is subdivided into 24 oblasts , one autonomous republic, and two "cities with special status".- Overview :...
) applied for WOSM membership. In January, 2005, this motion was recommended by the World Scout Bureau. Since more than 5% of the National Scouting Organizations voted against the application,
GermanyThe Scout movement in Germany consists of about 150 different associations and federations with about 260,000 Scouts and Guides.Scouting in Germany started in 1909. German Scouting later became involved with the German Youth Movement, of which the Wandervogel was a part...
and the
Boy Scouts of AmericaThe Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over four million youth members in its age-related divisions...
among the opposing votes, SPOK was not admitted to WOSM and withdrew the application. As a result of this, a special mission of the World Scout Committee was sent to Ukraine. Ukrainian Scouting endeavored to set up a new Scouting body unifying Plast and SPOK in order to satisfy WOSM requirements, to be worked out by 2008, as all parties were motivated to join the international community.
Following the recommendations of Resolution 2/05 adopted by the 37th World Scout Conference in Tunisia, the constitutive congress of the
National Organization of Scouts of UkraineThe National Organization of Scouts of Ukraine was established in 2007 by the three largest Scout organizations in Ukraine-the all-Ukrainian youth organization "SPOK", Plast and the All-Ukrainian organization Sich meaning Cossack fortress...
(NOSU) was held on 27 March, 2007. The congress, which gathered Scout representatives from most regions of Ukraine, approved the Constitution of NOSU and elected its governing bodies. This event was made possible thanks to efforts of three Scout associations (Plast, SPOK and Sich) to work towards unification of Scouting in Ukraine in a new single National Scout Organization so as to be able to join WOSM.
The Constitution of NOSU was officially registered by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine in November 2007, thus confirming the creation of a single National Scout Organization in Ukraine. An amended version of this Constitution was received on 4 February 2008 and formally approved by the Constitutions Committee and the World Scout Committee.
WOSM Acting Secretary General
Luc PanissodLuc Panissod born 1949, of France, is currently Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement . He previously held the role of Deputy Secretary General of WOSM and was made acting WOSM Secretary General in mid-November 2007 in replacement of Eduardo Missoni, following an...
visited NOSU in mid-March 2008. He had the opportunity to meet and talk with various groups of young people (candidates to join, patrol leaders, summer camp young leaders) and adult leaders responsible of local Scout groups. He also met with the Deputy Minister of Family, Youth and Sports, one of the founding members of one of the Scout associations, who confirmed full support of the authorities to NOSU. He also had several working sessions with leaders of NOSU to assess the level of development of the organization.
The organization has a loaned headquarters and several campsites. Elements of a progressive scheme include merit badges, which are illustrated in their handbook and are obtained on a progressive basis. At present, NOSU is a small organization and has only one professional staff regularly employed in application of existing legislation. Being a new organization, NOSU still has to develop an efficient working organization.
NOSU membership is open to girls and boys, women and men, in three age sections: Cubs (6-10), Scouts (11-16) and Rovers (16-24). As at 31 December 2007, NOSU comprised 2,475 members including 718 female youth members, 1,546 male youth members, plus some 200 adult leaders and Council members.
NOSU membership is made approximately of 40% from Plast, 40% from SPOK and 20% from Sich. The same percentages are reflected at the National Council level. While double membership still exists (one can be member of NOSU and member of one of the three above associations), direct membership for new members is strongly encouraged. It is the objective of NOSU's leadership that NOSU will be successful enough to attract more members from the three associations who are not yet members of NOSU. Further unification of Scouting through integration of other Scout groups in Ukraine is envisaged through the chartering system.
The Chairman of the National Council is Lev Zakharchishin, the Deputy Chairman of the National Council is Valeriy Tantsiura and the International Commissioner is Andriy Chesnokov. In becoming a member of WOSM, NOSU will become, as it so desires, a member of the Eurasia Scout Region.
Plast outside of Ukraine
After World War II, a number of independent Plast Ukrainian Scouting organizations were founded in the West by Ukrainians from Western Ukraine (which was under Polish rule until 1939). This phase of Plast began in Germany and Austria in 1945 in various Displaced Persons Camps, and as various members of Plast eventually ended up in Canada, the United States, the UK, Australia and elsewhere, various émigré organizations were founded between 1946 and 1951. Until the fall of the Soviet Union, these represented the totality of Plast organizations, and were aligned to a supranational organization called KUPO (Conference of Ukrainian Plast Organizations), which convened every four years and elected an operational "Holovna Plastova Starshyna" (HPB) and a board called "Holovna Plastova Rada" (HPR), and would also name the head Plastun ("Nachalniy Plastun"), typically a long-term or lifetime, and somewhat ceremonial position. The current, and third, "Nachalniy Plastun" is US-based (originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) Dr.
Lubomyr RomankiwLubomyr T. Romankiw is an IBM Fellow researcher at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York.Romankiw earned his B.S. from the University of Alberta in 1957, and both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962. He is listed as an...
, his predecessor was US-based Dr. Yuriy Starosols'kiy, who succeeded Severyn Levytsky ("Siriy Lev"), who was inaugurated in post-World War II Germany.
Thus, Plast has existed as an émigré organization in:
- Canada
Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, with major contingents or "stanytsi" in TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
, HamiltonHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, EdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The city is located on the North Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province, an area with some of the most fertile farmland on the prairies...
, WinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, in south central Canada, near the eastern edge of the Canadian Prairies, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers...
, CalgaryCalgary is the largest city in the Province of Alberta, Canada.The Calgary census metropolitan area is the third most diverse in Canada in terms of visible minorities after Toronto and Vancouver when considering only CMAs with population greater than 200,000...
, MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
, OttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada and a municipality within the Province of Ontario. Located in the Ottawa Valley in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, the city lies on the southern banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway forming the local boundary between the Provinces of Ontario and...
and elsewhere, and a campsite in Grafton, OntarioGrafton is a community located in the province of Ontario. It is located in Northumberland County, in the township of Alnwick/Haldimand. It is 12 km east of Cobourg, Ontario on the former Highway 2 , with close access to Highway 401. The village is near the geographically significant Oak Ridges...
, since 1948. Another campsite is located in Baturyn, QuebecQuebec is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking identity and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
- the United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
:
- "Stanytsi" (active Plast Scouts) in New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
, ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
, Cleveland, DetroitDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
, BuffaloBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, second only to New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River, Buffalo is the principal city of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area and the seat of Erie...
, SyracuseSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2000 census, the city population was 147,306, and its metropolitan area had a population of 732,117. It is the economic and educational hub of Central New...
, HartfordHartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Its 2006 population of 124,512 ranks Hartford as the state's second-largest city, after Bridgeport. New...
, RochesterRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. The Rochester metropolitan area is the second largest economy in New York State, behind the New York City metropolitan area. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and...
, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
, NewarkBrick City redirects here. For the township in Ocean County, see Brick Township, New Jersey.Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, and the county seat of Essex County. Newark has a population of 281,402, making it the largest municipality in New Jersey and the 65th largest city in the U.S...
,PassaicPassaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 67,861. Located north of Newark on the Passaic River, it was first settled in 1678 by Dutch traders, as Acquackanonk Township...
, BaltimoreBaltimore is an independent city and the largest city in the state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore City in order to distinguish it from surrounding...
, Denver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the state of Colorado, in the United States. Denver is a consolidated city-county located in the South Platte River Valley on the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, BostonBoston is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural center of the region and is sometimes regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England"...
, Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
, St. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The city is known as a vacation destination for North American and European vacationers. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 248,232. As of 2006, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 248,098. The 2007...
, Seattle, WashingtonSeattle is located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Situated in the western part of Washington State on an isthmus between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, about south of the Canada – United States border, it is named after Chief Sealth, of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes...
,
- Defunct, dormant or inactive "stanytsi" in Trenton
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of 2007, the United States Census Bureau estimated that the City of Trenton had a population of 82,804....
; HempsteadHempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. It is sometimes referred to "Hempstead Village" to distinguish it from the town of Hempstead. Hempstead is one of the few Black and Latino majority neighborhoods on Long Island...
; Jersey CityJersey City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population of Jersey City was 240,055, making it New Jersey's second-largest city, behind Newark. As of the Census Bureau's 2007 estimate, the population had grown to 242,389...
; UticaUtica is a city in the American state of New York, and the county seat of Oneida County.The city of Utica is situated within the region referred to as the Mohawk Valley and the Leatherstocking Region in Central New York State. Utica has an extensive park system, with winter and summer sports...
; AlbanyAlbany is a city in the United States of America; it is the capital of the state of New York and the county seat of Albany County. Albany is roughly 136 miles north of the city of New York, and slightly south of the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. The city sits on the Hudson River and...
; Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
; New HavenNew Haven is the second-largest municipality in Connecticut, after Bridgeport and just ahead of Hartford, with a core population of about 124,000 people. "New Haven" may also refer to the wider Greater New Haven area, which has nearly 600,000 inhabitants in the immediate area...
; Lorain, OhioLorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, west of Cleveland....
; and Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 120,568, making it New Jersey's fourth largest city . The population of Elizabeth was 126,179 as of the Census Bureau's 2006 estimate...
- Plast Museum in Parma, Ohio
Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States and the largest suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 85,655. The 2003 estimate put the population at 83,861.-History:Parma is a city southwest of Cleveland...
- Plast Campsites in Buffalo
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, second only to New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River, Buffalo is the principal city of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area and the seat of Erie...
("Noviy Sokil"), East Chatham, New YorkEast Chatham is a hamlet in the town of Chatham, New York. It lies near the eastern boundary of the town, east of Old Chatham. It is located on a railroad....
("Vovcha Tropa"), Cleveland ("Pysanij Kamin"), and ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and New York to the west and south ....
("Bobrivka")
- Campsite for camp leaders ("Lisova Shkola" and "Shkola Bulavnykh") in Hunter, New York
Hunter, New York can refer to:* Hunter , New York* Hunter , New York...
- Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, with "stanytsi" in AdelaideAdelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth-largest city in Australia, with a population of more than 1.1 million. It is a coastal city situated on the eastern shores of Gulf St. Vincent, on the Adelaide Plains, north of the Fleurieu...
, BrisbaneBrisbane is the state capital of the Australian state of Queensland and is the largest city in that state. With an estimated population of approximately 2 million, it is also the third most populous city in Australia....
, CanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth largest Australian city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory, south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, MelbourneMelbourne is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne city centre is the anchor of the larger geographical area and statistical division known as the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area – of which Melbourne is...
and SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
- the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
(London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
)
- Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
(MunichMunich is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. It is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg...
)
- Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
- Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
(Buenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital, and largest city, of Argentina, currently the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the eastern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
)
To a less-organized extent:
- France
France , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
- Belgium
The Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
(Antwerp||-||-||-||}Antwerp is a city and municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Antwerp province in Flanders, one of Belgium's three regions. Antwerp's total population is 472,071 and its total area is , giving a population density of 2,308 inhabitants per km²...
)
- Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(more recently)
- Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
(more recently)
- Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe with a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is its capital, Bratislava...
(more recently)
- Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
(more recently)
- Latvia
Latvia , 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...
(more recently)
- Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country situated in Eurasia that is ranked as the ninth largest country in the world. It is also the world's largest landlocked country. Its territory of 2,727,300 km² is greater than Western Europe...
(more recently)
The mission of Plast in exile was amended somewhat, with objectives to maintain and perpetuate Plast and Ukrainian culture and identity throughout the Ukrainian diaspora.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, in addition to Ukraine, Plast units were formed in Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic. In the middle of 1997, a two-week Jamboree was held in Winnipeg, Canada that brought Plast contingents from France, Germany, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Ukraine, and other countries. Given that only the organization in Ukraine is a "National" organization, the other Plast units ("krayi") continue to collaborate via KUPO and HPB (now moved to Ukraine), but with Plast in Ukraine having its own status.
Program sections
- Pre-Scouts - aged 4 to 6 ("ptashata pry plasti")
- New Scouts - aged 7 to 11 (UPN: "novaky" and "novachky")
- Further subdivided into male and female units
- Organized into a "riy" (group) typically with 6 to 10 Scouts
- A regional unit ("stanytsia") might have several "royi" organized into a "nest" ("hnizdo") typically with 20 to 50 Scouts.
- Larger "stanytsi" may have more than one "hnizdo"
- Each Scout has a rank, based on having completed a "proba" (none, first, second and third), which is based on achieving a number of objectives including earning merit badges ("vmilosty")
- Scouts - aged 12 to 18 (UPU: "yunaky" and "yunachky")
- Further subdivided into male and female units
- Organized into a "hurtok" (group) typically with 6 to 10 Scouts
- Each Scout has a rank, based on having completed a "proba" (none, first, second and third), which is based on achieving a number of objectives including earning merit badges ("vmilosty").
- Those at the lowest tier are called "Prykhylnyki" those who finished the first "proba" are called "uchasnyky," those with the second "proba" are "rozviduvachi" and those with the third proba are "skoby" (roughly equivalent to an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . Those who attain this rank are called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
in the United States). Female tiers are similar: "prykhynytsi," "uchasnytsi," "rozviduvachky" and "virlytsi."
- In exceptional cases, a "skob" who has performed above and beyond the call of duty and has also amassed a substantial number of "vmilosty" is named by the "nachal'niy plastun" to be a "hetmans'kiy skob" ("skob of the hetmanate") or "hetmans'ka virlytsia." There have been fewer than 50 such individuals in the history of Plast, although the pace of awards has accelerated considerably, with this level almost being viewed as the fourth "proba"
- A "skob" can also achieve an additional distinction of a "skob aviator" or "maritime skob" with additional nautical or aeronautical training. There have only been a handful of such individuals.
- Older Scouts - aged 18 to 30 or 35 (USP: "starshi plastuny" and "starshi plastunky")
- While older Scouts often belong to regional units ("stanytsi") and are often the counselors to units of "novaky" or "yunaky," they also organize themselves into international "kureni" (sometimes referred to as "fraternities" or "sororities"). These "kureni" are either single-sex or mixed-sex. Prominent male kureni include the Lisovi Chorty
Lisovi Chorty - 3rd Kurin’ for Starshi Plastuny and Senior Scouts in Plast - National Scouting Organization of Ukraine....
(Forest Devils), the Burlaky (Old Shoes), the Orden KhrestonostsivOrden Khrestonistsiv is a male fraternity of the Ukrainian Plast Scouting organization. It is sequentially the 5th kurin' of 'Older Scouts' and the 20th kurin' of 'Senior Scouts'...
(Order of the Crusaders), the Chervona Kalyna, the Chornomortsi (Black Sea-ers), Vovkulaky (werewolves), Orlykivtsi (followers of Pylyp OrlykPylyp Orlyk was a Zaporozhian Cossack starshyna, Hetman in exile, diplomat, secretary and close associate of Hetman Ivan Mazepa.- Biography :Pylyp Orlyk was born in the village of Kosuta, Ashmyany county, Pylyp Orlyk (born on October 11, 1672 in Kosuta, Ashmyany county, Vileyka district of...
), Pobratymy (Circle of Friends), Khmelnytchenky (named after Bohdan KhmelnytskyBohdan Zynoviy Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky was a hetman of the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate of Ukraine...
), Plemia Mogikany (Tribe of Mohican) and the Siromantsi (coyotes). Prominent female kureni include the Pershi Stezhi, Chortopolokhy, the Lisovi Mavky (wood nymphs), Chornomorski Khvyli (Black sea waves), Buryverkhy (mountaintop-destroyers), Knyahyni (Princesses), Ti shcho hrebli rvut'(those who break dams), Shostokryli (6-wings), Spartanky, Verkhovynky (mountaintops), and mixed-gender kureni named after Dr. Oleksander Tysovsky (the Baden-Powell of Plast), Voynarovskiy and the "Dubova Kora" (oak bark). Most of these units were founded in Germany in the late 1940s, and many of these now exist in Ukraine as well as throughout the Plast diaspora. A number of new units have been formed in Ukraine in the past 12 years as well.
- Senior Scouts - aged 30 or 35 and up (UPS: "seniory")
- Senior Scouts belong to the same "kureni" as the "older Scouts." Many units have a particular focus, with the Chervona Kalyna being involved in sports, the Chornomortsi and sister kurin' Chornomorsky Khvyli in maritime Scouting, the Pobratymy in hiking and mountainclimbing, the Siromantsi in publishing, the Orden Khrestonostsiv
Orden Khrestonistsiv is a male fraternity of the Ukrainian Plast Scouting organization. It is sequentially the 5th kurin' of 'Older Scouts' and the 20th kurin' of 'Senior Scouts'...
and the Lisovi ChortyLisovi Chorty - 3rd Kurin’ for Starshi Plastuny and Senior Scouts in Plast - National Scouting Organization of Ukraine....
in basic Scouting and individual leadership.
- A Senior Scout who has not previously been a Scout is called a "Plastun Senior Prykhylnyk." Those who have previously been "older Scouts" enter at the second tier called "Plastun Senior Pratsi," and if they are active can achieve the third tier called "Plastun Senior Dovirya" and a select few leaders achieve the level of "Plastun Senior Kerivnytstva."
- Plast Affiliates - Not official members but supporters, similar to a Parent-Teacher-Organization ("Plast-Priyat")
(age ranges vary depending on the region around the world)
The Plast Scout Motto is
SKOB!, an acronym for
Syl'no! Krasno! Oberezhno! Bystro! meaning "Strongly! Beautifully! Carefully! Speedily!" in Ukrainian. The Scout Motto for the younger Ukrainian Scouts is
Hotuis! or "Prepare yourself!"
"SKOB" also happens to be a direct translation of the eagle species "
OspreyThe Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching 60 centimetres in length with a 1.8 metre wingspan...
"
The Ukrainian noun for a single Scout is
Plastun.
Plast Law
The word
plastun means "a Plast Scout" (male). A female Plast Scout is a
plastunka ... The Plast Law (
Plastoviy Zakon), more accurately a Plast Scout's Law, is as follows.
- A Plastun keeps his (her) word.
- A Plastun is thorough.
- A Plastun is punctual.
- A Plastun is thrifty.
- A Plastun is just.
- A Plastun is courteous.
- A Plastun is brotherly and friendly.
- A Plastun is levelheaded.
- A Plastun is useful.
- A Plastun obeys Plast leadership.
- A Plastun is diligent.
- A Plastun cares for his (her) health.
- A Plastun cares for beauty.
- A Plastun is always optimistic.
Scout Oath
On my honor I swear that I will do everything in my power to:
Be loyal to God and Ukraine,
To help others,
To obey Plast leadership and To live according to the Plast Law.
Notable Plast members
- Petro Franko
Petro Franko son of Ivan Franko, was a Ukrainian educator and author, a co-founder of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization. Born in the town of Nahuyevychi near Drohobych, he graduated from the Lviv Polytechnic Institute, and from 1914 served in the legion of the partisan Sichovi Striltsi...
- Dr. Oleksander Tysovsky
Dr. Oleksander Tysovsky , pseudonym: "Drot", was the founder of the Ukrainian Scouting organization Plast in 1911, and adapted the universal Scout principles to the needs and interests of Ukrainian youth. In 1944 he emigrated to Vienna...
- Roman Shukevych
- Stepan Bandera
Stepan Andriyovych Bandera was a Ukrainian politician and one of the leaders of Ukrainian national movement in Western Ukraine, who headed the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists . The son of a clerical family, Bandera played a significant role in the history of Ukraine during World War II...
- Dr. Bohdan Hawrylyshyn
Dr. Bohdan Hawrylyshyn is a noted economist and an economic advisor to the Ukrainian government.Since Ukraine declared independence in 1991, Dr...
- Dr. Lubomyr Romankiw
Lubomyr T. Romankiw is an IBM Fellow researcher at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York.Romankiw earned his B.S. from the University of Alberta in 1957, and both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962. He is listed as an...
- Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is the third and current President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005....
- Patriarch Cardinal Lubomyr Husar of the UGCC
- Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, NASA mission specialist
See also
- Scouting in Ukraine
Scouting in Ukraine received World Organization of the Scout Movement recognition in July 2008. The Eurasian Region headquarters is located on Ukrainian territory.-2008 WOSM recognition:...
- Scouting in displaced persons camps
Scouting has been active in displaced persons camps and in the lives of refugees since World War II. During and after World War II, until the early 1950s, Scouting and Guiding flourished in these camps. These Scout and Girl Guide groups often provided postal delivery and other basic services in...
- Ukrainian Sich Riflemen
Ukrainian Sich Riflemen was a Ukrainian unit within the Austro-Hungarian army during the First World War. The unit was formed in 1914 at the initiative of the Supreme Ukrainian Council in August 1914. The unit was composed of members of different Ukrainian paramilitary organizations in Galicia...
External links and references