HP Field Visit to Bosnia & Herzegovina
HP Field Visit to Bosnia & Herzegovina
From 1-4 October 2015 ten Honours Programme Members visited Bosnia & Herzegovina to learn from the Scouts the tremendous work done in uniting and strengthening the National Scout Organisation and to hear and see some great Scouting initiatives supporting the local communities.
The country of Bosnia & Herzegovina consists of 2 autonomous entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, with a third region, the Brčko District, governed under local government. Each entity has its own National Scout Association. Where on politic and government levels cooperation between the 3 entities is challenging, the Scouts in Bosnia & Herzegovina have decided to establish one National Scout Organisation for the whole country. This process of bringing 3 NSAs together and building one NSO with a common vision, structure and programme while recognising and respecting each other’s culture, has been supported by staff and volunteers from the European Scout Region and the Messengers of Peace Initiative. This unique process that goes against the general trend has been recognised and welcomed by government and politicians.
On the first day the Board of the NSO and the Baden-Powel Fellows were received by Dr. Mladen Ivanic, one of the three Presidents of Bosnia & Herzegovina, who recognised the progress made by the NSO and who confirmed that the Presidency will support Scouting in BiH (see photo, courtesy by Alex Wong). This was followed by meetings with the Permanent Secretary of Cicil Affairs of BiH and the Deputy Minister of Youth for the Republic Srpska. The achievement of the NSO in only 4 years was clearly respected and put the NSO firmly on the agenda of the different government levels in BiH. During the Field Visit the group also visited the village of Nemila where Scouts in May 2014 where the first on scene following the terrible floods supporting the local communities dealing with the disastrous damage to homes, live stock, and property. From there the group travelled to Banja Luka to meet the Scout patrol of the Youth Institute (children placed in the care of the State) and with them they joined the Scout rally of the Scout Group in Banja Luka. This visit ended with the group attending the celebrations of the 45th anniversary of the Scout Group in Banja Luka - a thriving and well lead group that holds the promise for growth of a strong Scouting movement in BiH!