The International Catholic Conference of Scouting (ICCS) is an autonomous, international body committed to promoting and supporting Catholic Scout associations and to be a link between the Scout movement and the Catholic Church. Its headquarters is located in Rome, Italy.
It enjoys consultative status with the World Scout Committee and forms the World Scout Inter-religious Forum (WSIF) together with the Council of Protestants in Guiding and Scouting, International Link of Orthodox Christian Scouts, International Union of Muslim Scouts, International Forum of Jewish Scouts, Won-Buddhism Scout and World Buddhist Scout Brotherhood.
There is a close cooperation with the International Catholic Conference of Guiding (ICCG).
It represents about 8 million Scouts.
At the 1st World Scout Jamboree in London Father Jacques Sevin SJ of France, Jean Corbisier of Belgium and Count Mario di Carpegna of Italy decided to create an international umbrella for Catholic Boy Scouts. Pope Benedict XV supported this idea and in 1922 Catholic Boy Scouts from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Ecuador, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain and Hungary created this umbrella organisation. Its rules were approved by the Pope in the same year. World War II made an end to this organisation. 1946 and 1947 the contacts between the Catholic Scout associations were reestablished and since 1948 conferences took place every year i.e. in 1958 in Vienna.
In June 1962 the Holy See approved the statutes and the Charter of Catholic Scouts, and the umbrella of Catholic Boy Scouting took the name International Catholic Conference of Scouting. In 1977 the new charter was approved by the Holy See.
At the 2011 World Council, the structure of ICCS was modified for 3 years. Instead of a Secretary General, a Chairman and a President (with equal powers) were elected.
Full members
Benin: Scoutisme Béninois
Burundi: Association des Scouts du Burundi
Chad: Les Scouts du Tchad, component association of the Fédération du Scoutisme Tchadien
Côte d'Ivoire: Association des Scouts catholiques de Côte d'Ivoire, component association of the Fédération Ivoirienne du Scoutisme
Cameroon: Les Scouts du Cameroun
Gabon: Association des Scouts et Guides Catholiques du Gabon, component association of the Fédération Gabonaise du Scoutisme
Madagascar: Antilin'i Madagasikara, component association of the Firaisan'ny Skotisma eto Madagasikara
Rwanda: Association des Scouts du Rwanda
Senegal: Association des Scouts et Guides du Sénégal, component association of the Confédération Sénégalaise du Scoutisme
Tanzania: Tanzania Scouts Association, Tanzanian Catholic Conference of Scouting
Togo: Association Scoute du Togo
Uganda: The Uganda Scouts Association
Observers:
Angola: Associação de Escuteiros de Angola
Cape Verde: Associação dos Escuteiros de Cabo Verde
Ethiopia: Ethiopia Scout Association
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Fédération des Scouts de la République démocratique du Congo
Guinea: Association Nationale des Scouts de Guinée, Association Nationale Catholique des Scouts de Guinée
Kenya: The Kenya Scouts Association
Mali: Scouts et Guides Catholiques du Mali
Niger: Association des Scouts du Niger
Nigeria: Boy Scouts of Nigeria
Zimbabwe: The Boy Scouts Association of Zimbabwe
Full members:
Argentina: Scouts de Argentina, Comisión Pastoral Scout Católica
Bolivia: Asociación de Scouts de Bolivia
Brazil: União dos Escoteiros do Brasil
Canada: Association des Scouts du Canada (affiliated to Scouts Canada)
Chile: Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Chile, Comisión Pastoral
Colombia: Asociación Scouts de Colombia, Comisión Nacional Pastoral Scout Católica
Costa Rica: Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Costa Rica
Ecuador: Asociación de Scouts del Ecuador
Haïti: Scouts d'Haïti
Netherlands Antilles: Scouting Antiano
Paraguay: Asociación de Scouts del Paraguay
Peru: Asociación de Scouts del Perú
St. Lucia: The Saint Lucia Scout Association
Uruguay: Movimiento Scout del Uruguay, Comisión Pastoral
United States: Boy Scouts of America, National Catholic Committee on Scouting
Observers:
El Salvador: Asociación de Scouts de El Salvador
Candidates:
Mexico: Asociación de Scouts de México
Full members:
Hong Kong: The Scout Association of Hong Kong, Catholic Scout Guild
Japan: Scout Association of Japan, Japan Catholic Conference of Scouting
South Korea: Korea Scout Association, Catholic Scouts of Korea
New Zealand: Scouting New Zealand
Philippines: Boy Scouts of the Philippines, National Catholic Committee on Scouting
Singapore: The Singapore Scout Association, Catholic Scouts of Singapore
Thailand: National Scout Organization of Thailand, Ratanakosin Scout Association
Observers:
Australia: Scouts Australia
Macau: Associação de Escoteiros de Macau
Full members:
Austria: Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs
Belgium: Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen, component association of the Guides and Scouts Movement of Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Savez izviđača Bosne i Hercegovine
Bulgaria: Organizatsia na Bulgarskite Skauty
Czech Republic: Junák
France: Scouts et Guides de France, component association of the Scoutisme Français
Germany: Deutsche Pfadfinderschaft Sankt Georg, component association of the Ring deutscher Pfadfinderverbände
Hungary: Magyar Cserkészszövetség, Catholic Committee of the Hungarian Scout Association
Ireland: Scouting Ireland, Forum for Catholics in Scouting Ireland
Israel: Catholic Scout Association in Israel, component association of the Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation
Italy: Associazione Guide e Scouts Cattolici Italiani, component association of the Federazione Italiana dello Scautismo
Jordan: Jordanian Association for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, Catholic Scouts and Guides – Jordan
Lebanon: Les Scouts du Liban, component association of the Lebanese Scouting Federation
Liechtenstein: Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Liechtensteins
Lithuania: Lietuvos Skautija
Luxembourg: Lëtzebuerger Guiden a Scouten, component association of the Luxembourg Boy Scouts Association
Malta: The Scout Association of Malta
Palestine: Palestinian Scout Association, Palestinian Catholic Scouts of Saint John the Baptist
Poland: Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego
Portugal: Corpo Nacional de Escutas, component association of the Federação Escutista de Portugal
Romania: Organizaţia Naţională Cercetaşii României, Asociaţia Scout Catolică din România
Slovakia: Slovenský skauting, Slovensky Scouting Catholic Committee
Spain:
Movimiento Scout Católico, component association of the Federación de Escultismo en España
Minyons Escoltes i Guies de Catalunya, component association of the Federació Catalana d'Escoltisme i Guiatge
Switzerland:
Gruppo delle Sezioni Scout Cattoliche di Scoutismo Ticino, component association of the Swiss Guide and Scout Movement
Verband katholischer Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder, component association of the Swiss Guide and Scout Movement
United Kingdom: The Scout Association, National Catholic Scout Fellowship
Observers:
Denmark: Det Danske Spejderkorps, Hertug Knuds Division
Egypt: Egyptian Federation for Scouts and Girl Guides, Egyptian Catholic Scout Committee
France: Sœurs de la Sainte-Croix de Jérusalem
Netherlands: Scouting Nederland
Norway: Norwegian Guide and Scout Association, Oslo Don Bosco's Speider
Slovenia: Združenje slovenskih katoliških skavtinj in skavtov
Syria: Scouts of Syria
Sweden: Svenska Scoutrådet
Candidates:
Cyprus: Cyprus Scouts Association
Italy: Südtiroler Pfadfinderschaft
World Scout Conference and Regional Scout Conferences
ICCS was represented at the 38th World Scout Conference in Korea. ICCS was also represented at the 14th Africa Scout Conference in Accra in November 2009.
World Scout Jamborees and World Scout Moot
ICCS is active at World Scout Jamborees. At the 20th World Scout Jamboree i.e. there was a special award issued by ICCS and an order of mass and a song book was published. The ICCS was also involved in the 21st World Scout Jamboree with its own center the Hyland Abbey. ICCS will also be present in 2011 at the World Jamboree in Sweden. ICCS is also an active participant of the World Scout Moot i.e. in 2000 in Mexico.
ICCS was an active participant of all World Scout Interreligious Symposium:
1st World Scout Interreligious Symposium - Valencia, Spain, 2003
2nd World Scout Interreligious Symposium, Taiwan, 2006
3rd World Scout Inter-religious Symposium in Uganda, 2009
Between August 16 and 23, 2009 a Scout Week took place in Taizé for the first time. 56 Scouts und Scoutleaders from Egypt, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic and Hungary took part in this international week. This event is scheduled for every summer. In 2010 it will take place between August 22 and 29.
ICCS not only takes part in the activities of World Scouting, but also supports events of the Catholic Church. So ICCS is present at the World Youth Days. So there was a vigil organised by ICCS, ICCG and AGESCI at the World Youth Day in Rome with thousands of Scouts from all over the world. ICCS will be present at the 15th World Youth Day in August 2010 in Madrid.
Trainings and other events
ICCS hold regularly courses and camps for Scouts, Scoutleaders and chaplains and regional and world level.i.e. in December 2009 and January 2010 the Living Stones Camp, ICCS World Seminar 2008 in Korea, Pastoral Seminar for Central Europe, ICCS Scout Jamboree in Thailand ...
This is an opportunity offered by the ICCS to all youth and adult members of the Boy Scouts of America.
The honor society of the International Catholic Conference of Scouting is the Brotherhood of Saint George. Catholic Scoutleaders and Chaplains are honoured by getting the membership.
Cahiers, published two times per year in French, English and Spanish
Circular Letter
Info, published in French, English and Spanish, two monthly
Signes, published quarterly in French, English and Spanish
