Iran Scout Organization: Difference between revisions
mNo edit summary |
m →History |
||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
==History== |
==History== |
||
'''Scouting in Iran''' was founded by volunteers in 1925, and formally developed in 1928 as a department of the Ministry of Education, directed by the government, which at the time engendered a lack of public support. It was first recognized as a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement that year. Scouting was suppressed in 1940 during [[World War II]], and became a member of the World Bureau of the World Organization of the Scout Movement for the second time in 1955, under the direction of |
'''Scouting in Iran''' was founded by volunteers in 1925, and formally developed in 1928 as a department of the Ministry of Education, directed by the government, which at the time engendered a lack of public support. It was first recognized as a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement that year. Scouting was suppressed in 1940 during [[World War II]], and became a member of the World Bureau of the World Organization of the Scout Movement for the second time in 1955, under the direction of Dr. [[Hossein Banai]]. In the late [[1950s]], more than 15,000 boys joined Scouting in Iran. The [[Majlis of Iran]] passed an act in 1958 recognizing Iranian Scouting as in independent national association. In 1958 Scouts established a small poultry farm for fundraising at the national Scout campsite at [[Manzarieh]], at the foot of the [[Alborz]] Mountains outside [[Tehran|Teheran]], as well as fields and greenhouses for flower-raising. At the meeting of the International Committee in [[Athens]] in August of that year, Manzarieh (meaning "pleasant prospect") was chosen as the site of an international Scout training center, similar to [[Kandersteg International Scout Centre|Kandersteg]] in [[Switzerland]], and deputy camp chiefs from around the world were invited to staff and run the training courses. During the 1950s, the focus was on introducing Scouting in rural, agrarian districts, and by 1961, Iran had a total membership of 21,829 Scouts. There was a single, unified, interfaith and joint (but not coeducational) Scouting and Guiding movement in Iran, which grew for many years and had 20 Scouting campsites in different provinces, until the overthrow of the [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi|Shah]] in 1979. A new national headquarters was completely constructed and furnished in 1973. In the 1970s, Iranian Scouts assisted the [[Red Sun and Lion]] in blood drives and first aid work, hosted the [[Asia-Pacific Region]]al Conference in 1976, and collected books for literacy drives. Scout houses, used as meeting places, training centers, hostels and local headquarters, could be found in every major city during the period, and in 1975 there were 262,702 Scouts. |
||
Iran served as a model for other Scout associations in desert areas, with its publication of "The Stone Badge" by [[Ebrahim Sadri]], full of Scoutcraft for Scouts living in areas where there is little wood. The Iranian Scouting uniform of that period consisted of a khaki shirt and trousers, short for summer, long for winter. |
Iran served as a model for other Scout associations in desert areas, with its publication of "The Stone Badge" by [[Ebrahim Sadri]], full of Scoutcraft for Scouts living in areas where there is little wood. The Iranian Scouting uniform of that period consisted of a khaki shirt and trousers, short for summer, long for winter. |
||
Revision as of 00:52, 25 January 2006
Iran is one of 35 countries where Scouting exists (be it embryonic or widespread) but where there is no National Scout Organization which is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement at the present time.
History
Scouting in Iran was founded by volunteers in 1925, and formally developed in 1928 as a department of the Ministry of Education, directed by the government, which at the time engendered a lack of public support. It was first recognized as a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement that year. Scouting was suppressed in 1940 during World War II, and became a member of the World Bureau of the World Organization of the Scout Movement for the second time in 1955, under the direction of Dr. Hossein Banai. In the late 1950s, more than 15,000 boys joined Scouting in Iran. The Majlis of Iran passed an act in 1958 recognizing Iranian Scouting as in independent national association. In 1958 Scouts established a small poultry farm for fundraising at the national Scout campsite at Manzarieh, at the foot of the Alborz Mountains outside Teheran, as well as fields and greenhouses for flower-raising. At the meeting of the International Committee in Athens in August of that year, Manzarieh (meaning "pleasant prospect") was chosen as the site of an international Scout training center, similar to Kandersteg in Switzerland, and deputy camp chiefs from around the world were invited to staff and run the training courses. During the 1950s, the focus was on introducing Scouting in rural, agrarian districts, and by 1961, Iran had a total membership of 21,829 Scouts. There was a single, unified, interfaith and joint (but not coeducational) Scouting and Guiding movement in Iran, which grew for many years and had 20 Scouting campsites in different provinces, until the overthrow of the Shah in 1979. A new national headquarters was completely constructed and furnished in 1973. In the 1970s, Iranian Scouts assisted the Red Sun and Lion in blood drives and first aid work, hosted the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in 1976, and collected books for literacy drives. Scout houses, used as meeting places, training centers, hostels and local headquarters, could be found in every major city during the period, and in 1975 there were 262,702 Scouts.
Iran served as a model for other Scout associations in desert areas, with its publication of "The Stone Badge" by Ebrahim Sadri, full of Scoutcraft for Scouts living in areas where there is little wood. The Iranian Scouting uniform of that period consisted of a khaki shirt and trousers, short for summer, long for winter.
15th World Jamboree
The 15th World Jamboree was scheduled to be held in Neyshâbûr, Iran in July 1979, at the thousand-hectare Omar Khayyám Scout Park, near the Afghan and Turkmen borders. The Second Asia-Pacific Jamboree was held at the site in preparation, in the summer of 1977. However, the destabilizing events of the Islamic Revolution cancelled the 15th World Jamboree near the end of 1978. Instead, the World Organization announced the "World Jamboree Year" by holding several international World Jamboree Year camps in Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States that took up the momentum.
Until the Islamic Revolution, there were American Boy Scouts in Teheran, serving in the Damavand District of the Direct Service branch of the Boy Scouts of America, which supports units around the world.
Iranian Scouting difficulties
Since the 1970s, Iranian Scouting has faced difficulties, and lost WOSM membership. The government placed restraints on Scouting during the 1980s, and the wars that Iran has become involved in have taken into the military many of the Scout-age boys, as well as the leaders.
The 35th World Scout Conference, convened in Durban, South Africa from July 26 to 30, 1999, voted to remove Iran from membership because the national Scout organization had ceased to exist. Scouting is nascent, movement has started in Iranian schools, but little information is yet available.
The Iranian Scouting uniform of the present period likely has longer shirt sleeves and full-length trousers, in accordance with Islamic edicts.
Ideals and program
The Cub Scout Motto is "Koushesh Kon!", translating as "Try Hard!" in Farsi (equivalent to 'Do Your Best'). Cub Scouts were known as Shirbachcheh, literally Lion's Sons in Farsi, but carrying the meaning 'brave children'.
The Scout Motto is "Aamaadeh Baash", translating as "Be Prepared" in Farsi. The Farsi noun for Scouts is Pishahangi Pesharan, and Senior Scouts are known as Saiaran.
Girl Scouting in Iran
The Girl Scout organization was known as Fereshtegane Pishahange Īrān, literally Angel Scouts of Iran.
Girl Guiding may again be making inroads into Iran, as in 1993 a reception was held in Manila, Philippines in conjunction with WAGGGS' Asia Pacific Symposium of NGOs for Women in Development. The aim was to introduce or reintroduce the Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting movement and to explore possibilities of starting/restarting Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting in Iran, as well as Cambodia, Tibet, Russia, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Fifty women leaders from those nations attended the Asia Pacific Symposium, sharing their Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting experiences.
See also
References
Facts on World Scouting, Boy Scouts International Bureau, Ottawa, Canada, 1961 Scouting 'Round the World, World Scout Bureau, Geneva, Switzerland, 1977