24th World Conf report.doc
Version date: Oct. 10, 2005
Page 3 / 52
ISGF 24
th
World Conference 2005
Conference Report
Introduction
We left Vancouver (June 2002) with a key issue to carry out: how to ensure ISGF a
successful future when it is facing a decrease in membership and a growing concern
regarding its structure. Remarkable management of the Conference by the Canadian
Council of B-P (Scouts) Guilds enabled a profit to be yielded which it spontaneously decided
to share with its international Organisation by granting it a substantial gift.
Part of this gift financed the purchase of a modern and performing system of communication
(Intranet/Internet), thus meeting part of our concern regarding the future.
Soon after the Conference, at its first meeting in October 2004, during one of its session, the
World Committee gathered, in brainstorming mode, to decide upon the theme of the 24
th
World Conference. "Together build the future", "Ensemble b,tissons l'avenir", was the theme
that was to frame its three-year activities. It was also an invitation to every ISGF member to
participate in the in-depth strategic process to ensure that challenges will be faced efficiently.
During that same meeting, the World Committee proceeded to an evaluation of the 23
rd
Conference, based on comments forwarded by some NSGFs and its own assessment.
Accordingly, steps forward have been made to meet your needs and expectations and to
give the General Assembly the necessary tools to debate on the major issues that you
submitted.
All the ingredients were there to give you the opportunity to participate in the decision-making
and to express yourself in an open and democratic space. Discussions were often tense;
very opposite views were expressed. It had often not been easy to keep to the agreed
agenda as time was too short and the subjects were many and complex. The organisation of
a Conference is certainly exciting, yet it is not an easy task. The Host Committee, the World
Committee and the World Bureau did not spare any effort to make the Conference meet its
objectives of a governing body determining the policy of the Organisation.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Host Committee for the quality of their
hospitality and organisation. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Henrik Syse, our
Keynote Speaker, to our sister Organisations, WAGGGS and WOSM, and to the participants
who volunteered to support us by accepting tasks during the Conference.
Major issues
Strategy
"Building the future together" requests that people are brought together in shared strategic
thinking. The World Committee devoted time and thought to give the General Assembly all
the necessary tools to make the relevant decisions. The World Committee communicated in
a broad way by producing very exhaustive documentation in this regard and by setting a real
platform for a shared and pro-active discussion:
-
during the plenary session a panel where representatives from WAGGGS, WOSM, ISGF
World Committee and the Youth Forum expressed their views after an enthusiastic and
inspiring speech delivered by the Keynote speaker, Henrik Syse, who was involved in the
panel too. This panel was also an opportunity for the audience to have an open and free
discussion;
