Overview

The Cambodia Scouts is a voluntary, non-political, educational organization for young people, open to all without distinction of origin, race or creed, in accordance with the Purpose, Principles and Method of the Scout Movement.

Background

Scouting in Cambodia began over 70 years ago and had undergone various phases of development. Angka Khemarak Kayarith (AKK) or the Khmer Scout Association, was created in 1934 under the Patronship of Prince Monireth to develop the Scout Movement in the kingdom. In 1960s the membership of AKK reached up to 2,000 and Scouts of Cambodia was represented in a number of international events including the 8th World Jamboree in 1955 in Canada and 10th World Jamboree in the Philippines. On 1 November 1964, HRH Prince Sisowath Essaro, then President of AKK announced the dissolution of the Scout Association and merged it into a socialist youth organization. However, as the political system changed in the country, Scouting was gradually re-established and Scout groups were organized in the refugee camps at the Thai border. In 1994, the World Scout Bureau/Asia-Pacific Region visited Cambodia and met the then Minister of Education and several other government officials, after which full government support was assured. Subsequently, two main Scout groups emerged in Cambodia and was registered on July 2000. In the effort to unite these two major groups towards creating a national association, the Coordinating Scout Committee of Cambodia (CSCC) was created on 21 April 2000, during the official visit of former Regional Director Kim Kyu-Young. Since then ad hoc contacts with the existing Scout groups continued and finally, a Working Group composed of leaders from these two associations, was established in May 2005 to work on the Constitution and By-Laws. In September 2005, the National Association of Cambodian Scouts was created to finalize the draft Constitution and By-Laws and seek formal government recognition to launch it as a nongovernmental organization. And on behalf WOSM, Regional Director Abdullah Rasheed visited Phnom Penh on 14-17 February 2006 under full hospitality of the royal government. The first AGM was held in April 2006 and adopted the constitution of the newly established National Association of Cambodian Scouts (NACS) and elected the first batch of office bearers. The membership of NACS in 2006 was 2,805 (1,768 Scouts, 540 Rovers, 171 Cub Scouts and 326 adult leaders). From that time, the National Association of Cambodian Scouts was created under the patronage of Samdech Akkak Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen. His Excellency Academician Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia was elected as the President of the NACS on 27 April 2006. It sought formal government recognition to launch it as a non governmental organization. The World Scout Bureau received an application for membership in the World Organization of the Scout Movement from the National Association of Cambodian Scouts in 2007. Members of the World Scout Bureau and of the Asia-Pacific Regional Office assessed the organization in November 2007; they proposed its admission to WOSM. Full WOSM membership was granted on 1 July 2008. The National Association of Cambodian Scouts (NACS) conducted its Second General Assembly (GA) on September 02, 2010 at the Office of the Council of Ministers presided over by His Excellency Academician SOK AN, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers and President of the National Association of Cambodian Scouts and Lok Chumteav ANNY SOK AN. There were approximately 500 scout participants, including senior ministers, ministers, secretaries of state, under secretaries of state, national and municipal/provincial leaders of NACS, and scout representatives at higher educational institutions and Phnom Penh Capital. The participants of the GA unanimously agreed to change the name of the scout from ” National Association of Cambodian Scouts (NACS)” to “Cambodia Scouts (CS)”

Mission

The mission of Cambodia Scouts is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.

Vision

Principles of The Cambodia Scouts in its activities shall adhere to the principles of beliefs, principles of society, the individual attitude towards community, and responsibility of the development of one self. These principles are expressed as follows: a. Duty to Religion Adherence to spiritual principles, loyalty to the religion that expresses them and acceptance of the duties resulting there from. b. Duty to Country and to Others - Loyalty to one's country in harmony with the promotion of local, national and international peace, understanding, and cooperation. - Participation in the development of society with recognition and respect for the dignity of one's fellowmen and for the integrity of the natural world. c. Duty to Self - Responsibility for the development of oneself.