President Karol Nawrocki Assumes Honorary Patronage Over the Scouting Movement

President Karol Nawrocki assumed honorary patronage over the entire scouting movement in Poland and abroad on Sunday. The ceremony took place on February 22, 2026, at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw to mark World Thinking Day. The president's wife, Marta Nawrocka, also participated in the event. The president delivered a speech to the assembled scouts in which he emphasized the historical role of scouting in Poland's independence tradition. He stated that the movement is "directly rooted in Poland's independence tradition and the tradition of a sovereign Poland." World Thinking Day, celebrated on February 22, was established in 1926 during the 4th World Conference of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. This date refers to the birthdays of the founder of scouting, Robert Baden-Powell (1857), and his wife Olave (1889). The holiday symbolizes the brotherhood and unity of all scouts and guides worldwide, regardless of cultural or religious differences. The ceremony was one of the central events celebrating the centenary of this international holiday. The presidential honorary patronage over the scouting movement is prestigious and symbolic, emphasizing the special bond between the highest state authorities and the youth organization. The tradition of such patronages in Poland dates back to the interwar period when presidents Ignacy Mościcki and later other heads of state assumed similar honorary functions for social and patriotic organizations. Today, presidential honorary patronages are granted to organizations of particular social, cultural, or historical significance for Poland. World Thinking Day is celebrated simultaneously by scouts and guides worldwide, highlighting the universal character of the movement. In Poland, the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association has been operating since 1918, with its roots reaching back to before Poland regained independence. For decades, the organization has played an important educational and patriotic role, exemplified by the participation of scouts in the resistance during World War II in the Gray Ranks. The contemporary ZHP continues the tradition of education in the spirit of service, brotherhood, and self-improvement. honorary patronage of the president signifies recognition for the activities of the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association and other scouting organizations operating in the country and among the Polish diaspora. It is a ceremonial gesture but also an important political signal regarding the position of the scouting movement in public life. In recent years, scouting in Poland has experienced both periods of dynamic development and challenges related to maintaining the attractiveness of its offerings for youth in the era of digitalization and competition from other forms of leisure. Polish Scouting and Guiding Association currently has hundreds of thousands of members of various ages – from Cubs through Scouts and Senior Scouts to instructors and seniors. The organization conducts educational activities based on the patrol system, organizes camps, rallies, field games, and social projects. Polish scouting belongs to the World Organization of the Scout Movement, enabling international cooperation and exchange of experiences. Presidential Palace has been the site of many historical events, but the ceremony with scouts fits into the tradition of meetings between the head of state and representatives of various social groups. The ceremony on February 22, 2026, was also an opportunity to emphasize the role of scouting in shaping civic and patriotic attitudes among the younger generation. In the context of contemporary challenges such as globalization, digitalization, and changes in the value system, scouting remains one of the few youth organizations offering education based on traditional values combined with outdoor activities and life in peer groups.