THE CENTENARY OF THE SCOUT MOVEMENT FEATURES ON A STAMP

• The stamp shows the logo of the centenary and the slogan "One World, One Promise”.

Madrid, 23 April 2007. Today, Marta Nogueroles, Correos' Director of Planning and Finances, and Rafael Bailo, the Chairman of the Scouts Federation in Spain, presented the stamp that CORREOS is issuing to commemorate the Centenary of the Scout Movement. The stamp is part of the Europe series.

In her speech, CORREOS' Finance Director said that all the European post offices, which every year issue a stamp with a common theme, "had wished to pay tribute to the Scout Movement”. She added that the Scouts deserved to appear on a stamp due to "their model work on behalf of society", adding that Correos had already recognised these associations in Spain with the stamp issued to celebrate the 75th anniversary in 1983.

The Europe series brings together philatelic themes that have in common a transnational significance and symbolises, through a stamp, common interests for a large part of the public. So far, 25 stamps have been issued, based on themes as varied as Europe in Space, Peace and Liberty, Famous Women, Popular Celebrations, Nature Reserves and Parks, the Integration of the blind and Sign Language.

The Scout Movement

On 1 August 2007 it will be one hundred years since Robert Baden Powell, a retired British soldier, held the first experimental scout camp on Brownsea Island in the south of England. He was worried about the problems in British society, and brought together 20 boys from various social backgrounds who he taught techniques for living outdoors, construction of shelters and sports skills. As a result of this, the Scout Movement was created, the objective of which was the physical, spiritual and mental development of young people so that they could play a constructive role in the development of society. It was Baden Powell himself who chose the word “Scout” (military explorers) to describe the movement he founded.

In 1909, only two years after it was founded, there were over 50,000 scouts in Britain. Following the horrors of the Second World War, Baden Powell assigned a new mission to the Scout Movement: to serve and maintain the cause of peace. The founder invited all the national Scout organisations to educate young people about peace and understanding between nations.

The Scouts Today

Today, the Scout Movement works in many areas: humanitarian aid, illiteracy, renewable energy, street children, professional training, sanitation, integration of the disabled, help for indigenous communities, fighting and preventing AIDS and drugs, protection of children, rehabilitation of child soldiers, etc., and has developed co-operation links with UNICEF, UNESCO and the United Nations.

What began as a small camp on Brownsea Island today has over 28 million members throughout the world - young people and adults, men and women - faithful to their promise to work to build a better world. The stamp shows the logo of the centenary and the slogan "One World, One Promise”.

Scout philately is based on collecting and studying stamps related to the Scouts and Guides. The first stamps were issues in 1900, seven years before the movement was founded. Two of the first three carry an image of Baden Powell. Since then, the list of countries that have issued stamps featuring this organisation has progressively increased and today there are over 200, including Spain.

Technical details

The stamp is being put into circulation this Monday has been gravure printed by the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre on gummed, stuccoed, phosphorescent paper The stamp has 13 ¾ perforations and it measures 40.9 x 28.8 mm (vertical). A total of 1,000,000 stamps with a postal value of €0.58 will be issued.

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Centenario del movimiento Scout