World Scouting, Jonathan Law
Today, on International Youth Day, we celebrate young people and the power of bringing them together and having dialogues for peace. The theme for 2026, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” speaks to something at the very heart of Scouting.
Across cultures and communities, SCOUTS South Africa continues to create spaces where Scouting youth can meet people who see the world differently, listen to different experiences, ask difficult questions and discover what they have in common.
Sometimes, building peace starts with something as simple as having a conversation. At the recent 2nd Africa Scout Moot, Rovers from around the world came together for an intergenerational Peace Circle with World Scouting Secretary General David Berg and World Scouting Africa Regional Director Frédéric Tutu Kama-Kama. The Peace Circle created a space for young people to listen to one another and to talk openly about what peace means in their communities, the barriers they face and how young people can contribute to building more peaceful societies. Most had different experiences, and faced a variety of challenges. But they all had shared aspirations for justice, acceptance, understanding and peace. This is what Scouting is about.
At SCOUTS South Africa, we believe young people have an important role to play in creating the communities and the world they want to live in. Scouting provides young people with the space, skills and opportunities to help them turn these conversations into action. Different contexts. Common aspirations. Scouting youth-led change.