The mission of our International Committee is to promote interaction between our council’s Scouts and Scouts of other countries.

Since its founding in England by Sir Robert S.S. Baden-Powell in 1907, Scouting has spread to 169 countries becoming the largest voluntary youth movement in the world with more than 40 million members.

The Vision for Scouting, adopted at the 40th World Scout Conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2014, is that by 2023 Scouting will be the world’s leading educational youth movement, enabling 100 million young people to be active citizens creating positive change in their communities and in the world based on shared values.

Upcoming Activities

“Travel-Free Jamboree” (Passport to Global Citizenship) – October 14-17, 2021

Our council International Committee invites families to experience JOTA-JOTI through our Passport to Global Citizenship which provides in-person events as well as unique opportunities for Scouts of all ages to interact with fellow Scouts from around the world. Register and schedule your personalized program for the weekend’s activities. Participants will also receive a JOTA-JOTI 2021 patch!

Here’s a sampling of what’s on your global itinerary:

Online Activities

• Attend Facebook Live introduction to JOTA-JOTI 2021 on Friday, October 15, at 6:00 pm
• Use Minecraft to build a virtual Global Habitat for Humanity Village
• Attend Zoom meetups with Scouts from Kenya, Colombia, Peru, Thailand, Sri Lanka and more!
• Be recognized for your International Scouting Achievements at a ceremony for those earning the Messengers of Peace and International Spirit Awards
• Participate in a Citizenship in the World or Sustainability Merit Badge course
• Earn your Interpreter Strip by demonstrating your command of another language
• Learn how to say “Be Prepared” in many languages
• Explore other cultures through our carefully curated YouTube video library

Self-Guided Activities

• Participate in a service project with refugees from Congo, Bhutan and other countries at New Leaf Farm on October 16 from 9:00am – noon
• Plant trees and help with landscaping while learning about low income housing for Habitat for Humanity October 16 from 8:00am-2:30pm
• Help at the Central Texas Food Bank warehouse and gain an understanding of food insecurity on October 14 from 6:00-8:30pm
• Clean up Lady Bird Lake and keep waste from getting into our lake on October 16
• Participate in a virtual cheese tasting of four cheeses from Switzerland while learning about Kandersteg on October 16 from 6:00-7:00pm
• Build a Habitat for Humanities Global Village Home out of LEGOs
• Sample food from a local Korean restaurant and get ready for the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea in 2023
• Play an international game such as mancala or dominoes
• View a video of an international dish and make it at home
• Walk or bike the Healthy Streets of Austin
• And more!

Jamboree on the Air/Jamboree on the Internet (JOTA-JOTI) – October 15-17, 2021

The Jamboree-on-the-Air and Jamboree-on-the-Internet are the largest Scouting events in the world with more than 1.5 million Scouts from more than 160 countries annually participating. Events take place online or over the airwaves via ham radio.

Swiss Cheese Tasting – October 16, 2021

Join us Saturday, October 16, from 6pm-7pm for a sampling of cheeses from Switzerland in your own home. Your “Patrol Leader” for this adventure will be a professional cheese monger from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop. While your taste buds are savoring the flavors of each unique cheese along with additional pairings, you’ll also learn about Kandersteg International Scout Centre from Scout leaders who have lived and worked there!

The cost of the event is $20 per person. The event is open to anyone interested in supporting International Scouting. Registrants will receive a Zoom link prior to the event. This will be an interactive, fun, and educational way to connect with Scouting friends through a favorite food.

World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) – Imagine making a friend from India on the way to get water, learning to tie your neckerchief the Swiss way while in line for your next activity, and stumbling into a Welsh party before going to bed. With 50,000 Scouts from 160 countries living side-by-side, a World Scout Jamboree is literally one of the biggest Scouting events in the world! The next World Scout Jamboree takes place in 2023 in Saemanguem, South Korea.