Get ready for Agora 2013…

The Planning Team for Agora 2013 held their first planning meeting on the last weekend of 28 to 30 September in Neydens, France, close to the border with Geneva, Switzerland. This year’s planning team consists of Ciara Beatty (IE) who was also on the planning team last year, as well as Nandesh Patel (UK), Xavier de Sousa (PT) and Máire Fitzgerald (IE), who all took part in last year’s Agora. Supported by José Figueira and Radu Stinghe from the European Regional Office, the team worked hard over the weekend. As a result, lots of plans have already been set in motion.

Under the theme “Reaching Out“, next year’s Agora will be held in April.  This theme was chosen to highlight the bridges that need to be crossed throughout the World Scout Movement. WOSM is reaching out to NSOs and NSAs to encourage them to assist and empower Rovers to make an impact. The planning team will be reaching out to Rovers, encouraging and motivating them to make an impact on Rovers and their communities at home. This impact will be strongly linked to youth empowerment, youth participation and citizenship.

It is hoped that participants will greatly benefit from participation in Agora 2013, learning something new and gaining positive experiences from each other, the event and workshops. It is hoped that everyone will be enabled to work constructively and productively in an open and positive environment. Agorians will return home from Agora with the skillset to use and apply what they have learned and shared. Another objective of the event is to help participants to acquire knowledge about international rover opportunities as well as about Rovering in other countries, through interaction with peers who have experienced the events first hand, if possible. Participants will gain experience in how to effectively verbalise the main benefits, positive aspects and opportunities which Rovering offers. They will also experience the diversity of participation between countries. Everyone can benefit from being in contact with others from different regions, learning from each other and using it in their own way.

Máire Fitzgerald hopes that participants of Agora 2013 will be inspired and that the event will help them to maintain their momentum and stay motivated within Scouting and Rovering. It is also expected that participants benefit from an organised network of Agorians, and most importantly, have fun! Through all of the event’s objectives, participants will be able to reach out to each other, so that they can receive guidance and support, helping them to reach out to their immediate community around them and using their new skills.

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