OFFICIAL NAME
International Catholic Conference of Scouting
ACRONYM
ICCS
ESTABLISHED
1948
HISTORY
ICCS started out as the International Office of Catholic Scouts, which was created in 1920 at the first World Jamboree, by the French Jesuit Jacques Sevin (Scouts de France), Count Mario di Carpegna (Associazione Scout Cattolici Italiani) and Professor Jean Corbisier (Baden Powell Belgian Boy Scouts). The initiative was blessed by Benedict XV in July 1922 and a Statute was adopted by Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Ecuador, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain and Hungary. Between 1946 and 1947 the officials of the Catholic Scout Associations reestablished contacts that had been broken off during the Second World War, and decided to meet every year. In June 1962 the Holy See approved the Statutes and Charter of the Association which was renamed the International Catholic Scouting Conference (ICSC), and later the International Catholic Conference of Scouting (ICCS). As an International Catholic Organisation, ICCS is a member of the Conference of ICOs, and has consultative status on the World Scout Committee.
IDENTITY
As a forum for Scout leaders and educators, enabling them to share their educational experiences, ICCS offers an opportunity for all its members to receive instruction and information. Its particular purpose is to contribute to the comprehensive education of young people through the Scouting educational method enlightened by the Catholic faith; to guarantee the active presence of Catholic Scouts in the Church; to encourage dialogue between the Catholic Church and the World Scout Movement. Its twin linkage with the Catholic Church and the Scout Movement requires ICCS to relate to a variety of national and international institutions in which it is committed to fostering the development of programmes for education in the faith and to protect respect for the choice and expression of faith. ICCS pursues its aims by organising seminars and debates on the spiritual dimension of Scouting education, education in the faith, the relationship between belonging to the Church and membership in the Scout Movement, and interfaith dialogue in Scouting. ICCS plays a part in the international activities of the Catholic Church (World Youth Days, forums, seminars) and the Scout Movement (World and Regional Conferences, Jamborees). It bases its work on the Constitution of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement, and the Scouts’ Catholic Charter approved by the Holy See in 1977.
ORGANISATION
The supreme governing body of the ICCS is the World Council, which meets every three years, attended by the officials of the member organisations. The World Council elects the Secretary General who coordinates the work of the Conference worldwide, assisted by a General Secretariat and the members of the four Regional Secretariats for Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Americas and Europe-Mediterranean. Catholic Scouting associations, and Catholic Councils and Committees of multi-faith Scouting Associations are members of ICCS.
MEMBERSHIP
ICCS has 53 member associations in 50 countries as follows: Africa (12), Asia (6), Europe (17), Middle East (2), North America (4), Oceania (1) and South America (8).
PUBLICATIONS
Info, a bulletin published every 2 months; Signes, published 3 times a year; Cahiers, six-monthly reflection and animation journals. All three are published in French, English and Spanish.
WEB SITE
HEADQUARTERS
Conférence Internationale Catholique du Scoutisme
Piazza Pasquale Paoli, 18
00186 Roma - Italy
Tel. [+39] 06.6865270 - Fax 06.6865211
Email: cics-iccs@cics.org
