World Scout Indaba

The 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, only a very small percentage were ever able to take part in a major international Scout gathering. The suggestion for the title came from Lord Rowallan after one of his African tours, the term "indaba" being a Zulu language word meaning "tribal conference".

It appears that only three such events were held:

* 1st World Scout Indaba, Gilwell Park, United Kingdom, July, 1952
* 2nd World Scout Indaba, Sutton Coldfield, United Kingdom, June, 1957, combined with the 9th World Scout Jamboree and 6th World Rover Moot, to celebrate 50 years of Scouting
* 3rd World Scout Indaba, Netherlands, August, 1960

1st World Scout Indaba

The 1st World Scout Indaba took place at Gilwell Park, for a week in July, 1952. The organization was in the hands of Fred Hurll, Chief Executive Commissioner, and of John Frederick Colquhoun, Commissioner for Relationships at British Scout headquarters. Lord Rowallan, as Chief Scout of the host country, opened the Indaba, expressing the hope that it would be looked upon as an historic occasion in the story of Scouting. The numbers attending were far below any estimate worked out beforehand, and amounted to only 500 men and women. However, this created a cheerfulness and friendliness that would have been difficult to achieve otherwise. Separate discussion groups were held for Wolf Cubs, Boy Scouts, handicapped Scouts, "the Older Scout", Rovers and Commissioners, and reports from each group were given at a plenary session attended by the whole Indaba. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, as president of the British Scout Association, brought the Indaba to a close with these words: "Let it be the determination of all who have been here at Gilwell to spread the Scout spirit wherever they go, that spirit of peace and friendliness which is so sorely needed in the world today." The experiment was counted a success, and the International Committee recommended continuing them every four years, with a limitation of a thousand participants.

2nd World Scout Indaba

The 2nd World Scout Indaba was held in June, 1957 to mark the centenary of the birth of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, concurrent with the 9th World Scout Jamboree and 6th World Rover Moot held adjacent to each other, as well as the third Girl Guide World Camp. This vast undetaking was under the leadership of Sir Rob Lockhart, Deputy Chief Scout, as Camp Chief; Fred Hurll, Chief Executive Commissioner, as Deputy Camp Chief; and K.H. Stevens, Camp Chief's Deputy at Gilwell Park, as the Executive Commissioner. The Jamboree-Indaba-Moot, known as JIM, was opened by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester on August 1, in the presence of some 30,000 members of the Scout brotherhood from 85 different parts of the world who camped at Sutton Park, and of the 17,000 other British Scouts in organized camps within a 15 mile radius. By some the twelve days were named "Jamborain". The closing talk was given by Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, on the night of August 12, alternately in English and French.

External links

* [http://www.scouts.org.uk/aboutus/fs295306.pdf Reference to all three Indabas]
* [http://www.scouting.milestones.btinternet.co.uk/biogs-s-w.htm Reference to 1st Indaba]

References

* "Scouting Round the World", John S. Wilson, first edition, Blandford Press 1959 p. 57, 225, 279