There are those who will experience a day of celebration with the families of the group, those who will organize a meeting for the citizens and those who will gather old friends to celebrate Mass together. Everyone, in any case, will gather in their own territories to renew the Promise: «Do my duty to God and my country, help others in all circumstances and observe the Scout Law». For the Catholic guides and scouts of Agesci, more than 180 thousand throughout Italy, this year May 4th is a special anniversary, the fiftieth birthday of the association. “It will not be a commemorative event but rather an opportunity to renew the commitment to educating young people to concretely build a possible and better world”, they explain Daniela Ferrara and Fabrizio Maranohead guide and scout leader of Italy, 60 and 58 years old.
Since its foundation in Rome in 1974, with the union of the pre-existing male and female associations, the objective has been the same: to contribute – according to the principle of self-education – to the growth of children as meaningful and happy people. «What makes the proposal still compelling? I believe that I understood that the focus is not on the activities but on the kids and their 360-degree growth”, he says Roberta Vincini, 55 years old, president of the National Committee, who explains: «The Agesci proposal follows the growth of each person according to four fundamental aspects identified by the founder of scouting, Robert Baden Powell: character building, health and physical strength, manual skill and service to others.” And in a society made up of fragile relationships, another strong point is relationships: «Children are the protagonists of their own growth, but they are not alone. There is the group dimension, where peers and non-peers interact, and there are the educators: young adults who approach each other like older brothers”, intervenes Francesco Scoppola42 years old, also president of the National Committee.
Around the mountains with backpacks and tents, gathered in a circle around the fire, shoveling mud after floods or in procession at peace marches, the young people of Agesci do not go unnoticed. But, it is clear from listening to the leaders, it is not just a question of blue shirt and handkerchief around his neck. The scout path accompanies ages 8 to 21 with a frequency of weekly meetings invigorated by the “camps”, the summer and winter weeks lived in an essential and community style. Then there are the many opportunities for service in the local community, on the national territory – in the event of natural disasters or in welcoming migrants, for example – and abroad, even in countries affected by war, such as the Balkans in the 1990s and Romania on the border with Ukraine, in this summer of 2024. «Among those who propose to get busy at school or for representative roles there is always some scout», observes Vincini, who is also the principal of an educational institute . «The attitude for community remains even as adults, even if the road to conscious political participation is still long. We discuss this issue with other Catholic associations”, adds Scoppola.
Continuously updated thanks to the passion of its educators, all volunteers, over the years the Agesci proposal has kept pace with the times, maintaining strong some cornerstones: life in the open air (including overnight stays under the stars, which those who have experienced cannot forget ), learning by doing, commitment to the environment and to legality. And again, of course, education for Christian lifea proposal that often manages to arouse the curiosity of even those who are not familiar with the Church: «We start from the experiences of the children and from the questions that arise in the hearts, as Jesus did with the disciples of Emmaus, cultivating a serious comparison with what the Word of God speaks to life,” he says Don Andrea Turchini, 58 years oldgeneral ecclesiastical assistant.
In his last message, founder Baden Powell said that “the true way to be happy is to bring happiness to others”, indicating the way in doing your best in all circumstances. «We bet on the good, seizing the potential where others today only see fragility: young people have many skills and want to do meaningful things for themselves, for others and the world. If the fuse is lit, they themselves are the ones who light it”, concludes Vincini. “This is why we try to help everyone get to know themselves and their dreams: together, we can all contribute to building a better world.” Fifty years ago it seemed like a dream, today it is reality.