Speech by Senator David Coltart
100th Anniversay of Scout Association of Zimbabwe
Gordon Park, Matopos
8th August 2009
Thank you once again for your kind introduction and thank you for inviting me to the 100th Anniversary of the Scout Association of Zimbabwe, an organization that is dear to my heart and dear to our country, to our communities, and to our youth. Although I was never a Scout I was a Cub for a few years in the late 1960s, first at 8th Hillside Group and then at Riverside. As I look around I see a lot of familiar faces of man and women who have spent a lifetime developing young people to become even better citizens of this country. The ’purpose of this movement is simple: It’s to build the character and integrity of Zimbabwe’s youth and prepare them to become responsible adults: adults who are leaders and adults who participate in society living according to the Scout Law and promise. The promise and Law are founded on trustworthiness, loyalty, and honesty, and on values that place others before one’s own desires.
What we are talking about today is more than just a big birthday party. It’s more than a celebration of your heritage as the nation’s largest service organization for Zimbabwe’s youth. We are celebrating a century of service to humanity, throughout this camp; you will be laying the groundwork to ensure Scouting’s next century is even stronger than its first. Indeed you will be creating a future for the next generation.
As you celebrate this occasion I would like to commit my ministry, and call upon all officials involved in the education of this country to not only support and nurture but in their own way get involved in Scouting.
The Scout movement gives us an opportunity to provide young people all over the world with a safe, structured, and nurturing environment. This environment fosters the initiative to learn and discover while instilling strong values and morals. While various activities and youth groups teach basic skills and promote teamwork, Scouting goes beyond that and encourages youth to achieve a deeper appreciation of others in their community.
Early in their Scouting experience, young people learn the value of serving others, for Scouting provides youth with a sense that they are important as individuals. It is communicated that those in the Scouting family care about what happens to them, regardless of whether a game is won or lost.
Finally, and perhaps most important, Scouting promotes activities that lead to personal responsibility and high self-esteem. As a result, when hard decisions have to be made, young people can resist peer pressure and make the right choice.
It is pleasing to note that over the years prominent academics, leaders, businessman and women have passed through this movement in the process learning life skills, which have helped in the development of our beautiful country.
Ladies and gentleman during this Heroes weekend we need to contemplate what the character of a true hero is. Our Nation has had a very difficult history over the last 5 decades and has seen a lot of violence. Our national definition of what a hero is has in many respects been moulded in that context and we have sometimes as a result defined heroes in a very superficial way. My own view is that the epitome of a hero is a person who understands and practices the notion of servant leadership. Leaders who make serious, genuine and long term sacrifices are genuine heroes. Leaders who follow the example of Christ who are prepared to sacrifice their comfort and indeed lives on behalf of others are genuine heroes. Sadly in Zimbabwe many leaders have deviated from the example of many of heroes of the past and concentrate their lives on self aggrandizement and self enrichment. There is an urgent need in our country to rebuild a new generation of servant leaders who will act in the national interest, who will lead sacrificially, and who will shun corruption and who constantly strive to act for the benefit of the Zimbabwean public rather than themselves. I see the Scout movement as having a major role to play as we strive to repair and restore the moral fabric of our great nation.
In the circumstances and I, closing it is appropriate that I leave you with the words of the founder of the Scout Movement Lord Baden Powell, “ the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best. “Be Prepared” in this way, to live happy and to die happy – stick to your Scout promise always – even after you have ceased to be a boy – and God help you to do it.â€
It is then my pleasure and singular honour to declare the 100th Anniversary camp officially open. I thank you.
Senator David Coltart
Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture