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EUROPE REGION

Short History

From the beginning, the Europe Region has had the characteristic feature of close collaboration with the International Catholic Conference of Scouting (ICCS). This was given impetus by the scout chaplains who had the habit of meeting twice a year and who, from 1965 onwards, participated with the Guide Chaplains. At the same time, since 1968, meetings of leaders have been held, initially by language, to explore the relationship between Guiding, faith and the Church.
ICCG Europe is present on the occasion of major Church events on the continent, such as the Eucharistic Congress in Lourdes. In the 1990s, due to changes in Eastern Europe, the ICCG networks were rebuilt and their identity was refounded. It was a slow and difficult process. One of its main objectives is the involvement of the Central and Eastern
European Guide Associations. Many letters and texts of Jean Debruynee are sent to the Associations in order to spread and live the pedagogical process of the ICCG.
The region also maintains close links with the WAGGGS Europe Region by attending regional conferences and seminars dealing with the  spiritual dimension.
Each year, the regional team echoes the initiatives undertaken to welcome the Light of Bethlehem that the scotus and the guides share before Christmas all over Europe.

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Regional meetings

  • May 1965: Meeting in Paris of European ICCS chaplains, who proposed opening up their meetings to chaplains from the ICCG Guide associations.

  • August 1966: Meeting in Mozet (Belgium) of European ICCG and ICCS chaplains on "Catholic pants from 10 from Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Guiding and Scouting in the face of the lay Christian of tomorrow and young people of today". The meeting was sattended by chaplains Luxembourg, Holland, Switzerland, Burundi, Lebanon and  Madagascar.

  • January 1968: Meeting in Lucerne (Switzerland) of European ICCG and ICCS chaplains, "The principle of Catholic Scouting".

  • Pentecost 1968: "Dialogue 68", a meeting of German-speaking wmas ICCG countries. The theme was "The situation of young people in the light of Guiding and the Christian faith".

  • August 1968: Meeting of European ICCG and ICCS chaplains in Hillerod, Denmark. The theme was "Ministry and the life of Scout and Guide chaplains".

  • January 1970: Meeting of franco- phone ICCG countries in Mozet (Belgium). Participants from Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain focused
    on "Relations between Girl Guide groups and the Church".

  • August 1970: "Europe 70" regional gathering of the European senior branches (ICCG and ICCS). Eight preliminary gatherings took place in various locations in Europe, followed by a final gathering of 1,000 young people in Strasbourg (France). The theme was "Development, its challenges and risks".

  • April-May 1973: Meeting in Barcelona of the heads of the junior age group of 10 ICCG associations (Germany, Belgium, Catalonia, Spain, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Monaco). The theme was "The Guiding community: Reflecting and challenging the environment".

  • March 1974: Meeting in Versailles of the general commissioners and chaplains of ICCG and ICCS Europe member organisations (Germany, Belgium Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Switzerland) on "How can our faith in Jesus Christ help us to create a new kind of male- female relationship in European society"; "How boys and girls identify themselves as free and different in the Scout and Guide education we offer them"; and "What new structures have we created for our associations to reflect this shared responsibility between men and women?"

  • June 1974: Representatives from the senior age group (Catalonia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland and France) met in Cannes and explored the theme of "The
    Christian message that is conveyed to senior members of our associations today". There were around 30 participants.

  • February 1975: Seminar in Milan on "The priestly ministry in the service of Guiding" and "How our associations have chosen to conduct their work on critical consciousness and the liberating education".

  •  May 1975: Joint ICCG and ICCS seminar in Marly-le-Roi (France) on "Male-female relationships in the light of faith". This was attended by general commissioners, chaplains and representatives of the national teams (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Switzerland).

  • July 1976: Meeting in Bracciano (Italy) of the national and regional teams of ICCG member associations. The theme was: "Birth of a people, Church - creation - diversity of ministries".

  • July 1978: In Mozet (Belgium) 80 ICCG/ICCS Scout and Guide leaders (primarily regional), worked with theologian Camille Focant to discover the realities of the first Christian communities of St-Matthieu.

  • January 1980: Members of the national teams from 10 countries met in Altenberg (Germany) to work on the theme of "The liberating education as a path to evangelisation" in four age group-based groups.

  • 1981: In Guayente (Spain) 40 leaders from nine European associations, Rwanda and Paraguay explored the theme of "The liberating education in the various age groups".

  • 1982: Meeting in Brussels (Belgium) of general commissioners and other members of the national teams of nine ICCG associations to exchange experiences of male-female
    collaboration and discuss co-education and inter-education.

  • Also in 1982, a meeting was held in Mélan (France) for trainers from nine ICCG and ICCS associations, who were joined by two Egyptian Guides. The topic was the "Situation of young people, Gospel, Scouting and Guiding in today's Europe: Training".

  • 1984: Meeting of ICCG chaplains and general commissioners in Luxembourg, the theme of which was "Joint responsibility of chaplains and Guide leaders" in the context of the role of women in the Church and faith education in the movements.

  • August 1985: Meeting in Val Calanca on "Young people in search of solidarity, respect and understanding". Twenty-four participants from ICCG and ICCS member associations.

  • October 1987: Meeting of Guide leaders and chaplains from the senior age group, "Reactions and attitudes of young people aged 16- 20 and our own attitude towards them" Eight associations took part, including the Catholic Guides of Canada, and André Fossionof Lumen Vitae led the meeting.

  • July 1988: Meeting in Colico (Italy) on "Facilitating faith-based activities in an increasingly secular world" and "Young people and their culture: A challenge for Christian event facilitators". Twenty-three participants from 10 ICCG and ICCS associations took part.

  • May 1993: ICCG Europe meeting in Nancy, the theme of which was "Women from the Bible, a true copy or a model?"

  • November 1995, Rome: Around 40 national leaders and general chaplains discussed the theme "What is the right form of Guiding for the Europe of today?"

  • July 1996, Budapest: "Talitha Koum! Young girl, get up!" with Guide leaders aged 18-25. Primarily attended by participants from Central and Eastern Europe, with delegations from AGESCI, the Guides de France and PSG and the whole ICCG Middle East regional team. Its theme was "The role of women in the Gospel".

  • August 1999, Prague: Regional meeting with 40 participants from 14 associations (who spoke nine different languages). Its theme was linked to that of the 2000 Holy Year "Jobel, the trumpet that knocks down the walls".

  • From 2003 to 2010, Camps of the Living Stones, organised in collaboration with the ICCS Euro-Med, brought together more than 200 young and experienced Guide leaders from countries of Europe and the Middle East.

  • December 2003, Trente (Italy)

  • December 2004, Trente (Italy)

  • December 2005, Aveiro (Portugal) "Duc in altum" (Luke 5, 4)

  • December 2006, Normandy (France) "Seek and pursue peace"

  • August 2008, Chorzów (Poland) "You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world"

  • December 2009, Montserrat (Catalonia) "Building on solid rock"

  • December 2010, "Egypt heriting the Earth".

  • September 2008, Paris: Training har "Many Women, a journey ugh the differences" with national leaders from Ireland, France, Italy, Poland, Lebanon, Rwanda, Madagascar and Syria.

  • November 2013, Catania: Meeting of representatives from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Spain (Catalonia), Poland, Italy and Guinea Conakry. Its
    theme was "Offering spiritual development in the associations"

  • October 2014, Rome: "Bible and life" workshop

Gallery

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