Building a Culture of Peace Amidst Conflict
Raluca, a longtime Scout and leader from Romania, has experienced firsthand how Scouting fosters peace. When the conflict in Ukraine erupted in February 2022, Raluca, then 25, and her fellow Scouts immediately sprang into action. Quick calls were made, roles and responsibilities were assigned, and they drove to the border without hesitation. Scouts in Romania were amongst the very first responders, providing food, shelter, transportation, and much-needed comfort to families fleeing the war.
“We made sure that our initial team had a Ukrainian speaker. She’s the mother of a Scout who was providing psychosocial support to the women. Her interaction with them in their own language allowed us to understand what the families needed and most importantly gain their trust during this challenging time because we can see they were in shock and reluctant to interact with others”, shares Raluca.
Scout groups across neighbouring countries took similar immediate actions, determined to protect refugee families. Since February 2022, millions of Ukrainians have crossed borders seeking safety, while millions more have been displaced within the country. In total, 6.7 million Ukrainian refugees have been recorded globally to date, according to the UNHCR. In response to this crisis, nine National Scout Organizations mobilised 35,000 volunteers, leading a youth-driven humanitarian effort that supported over 1.1 million Ukrainians.
The project called "UAct: Scouts in Response for Ukraine", was developed by the European Scout Region in collaboration with UNICEF after they witnessed the power, impact and trust local Scout groups had at borders and refugee and transit centres.
Raluca’s initial response at the Romanian border propelled her to take on the role of Programme Officer for the UAct project and oversee the programmatic actions taken by Scouts across the nine countries, including Ukraine.
The Scouts provided essential services such as accommodation, distribution of vital supplies, and psychological first aid, all with swiftly efficient action and mostly led by youth.
“Scouting is the reason we choose this path of service and peacebuilding. It wasn’t until I became involved in this humanitarian response that I realised that Scouting was literally preparing us for any circumstance – the camps we organise, the tents we sleep in, and the responsibility we take at a young age all equipped us to manage the waves of people in need in this crisis,” Raluca says.
Raluca’s commitment didn’t stop there! Her involvement in supporting Ukraine refugees sparked her interest in human rights. She has since taken on the role of Peace Education Team Lead for the European Scout Region, where she continues her mission to build peaceful, inclusive societies.
Her work with Scouts focuses on key topics such as diversity and inclusion, dialogue, Safe from Harm, advocacy, humanitarian action, and human rights. Drawing from her experience supporting the Ukraine response, she incorporates psychological first aid into peace education, ensuring young Scouts are equipped to lead with both compassion and skill.
Reflecting on her journey, Raluca shares, “It was a series of actions and events that led me to a place where I felt from my core that this was the direction in which I wanted to continue, personally and professionally.”
Her story is a testament to the power of Scouting, reminding us that even in times of division, it helps us find common ground, creating a culture of empathy and unity that crosses borders.
“Through Scouting, we shape future adults who are exposed to many realities and educational contexts. This equips them with critical thinking, dialogue skills, openness to learn more about the world, and to lead with empathy, no matter what their role will be in the future: a team leader, a mayor, a CEO, or a nice fellow in the neighbourhood.
This is the power of Scouting: we are raising generations of future leaders for our society who lead with empathy and commitment.” Raluca Popa, Scout.
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Scouts just like Raluca are leading life-changing initiatives, every day, across the globe, offering hope and rebuilding communities in times of crisis.
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