Press and Media Material

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Click here for press and media material from the World Organisaton Scout Movement of which the Scout Association of Malta is a full member.  Here you may also find WOSM information about scouting and also facts and figures about scouting.

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Malta Centenary Badge 1908-2008

WOSM Centenary Badge 1907-2007

Baden Powel Painting 1

Baden Powel Painting 2

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Scout Sign

Scouting in Malta and its Name

Scouting was introduced in Malta in 1908, and the first Groups were formed in 1909. The Malta Boy Scouts Association was formed on November 9, 1908 and officially recognised, as was the procedure then, exactly a year later. The Association was on September 15, 1913 registered as a branch of The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom with the objective of developing Scouting in Malta.

In 1966, the Association became an independent body and on October 28, 1966 was granted recognition as a Member-Organisation of the Boy Scouts World Conference  and registered as a full member of the Boy Scouts World Bureau, which later became known as the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM). In 1976, the name of the Association was restyled to read ‘The Malta Scouts Association’. By a further amendment on 31 October 1978, in order to comply with the provisions of Act XXII of 1978, the name of the Association was established as ‘The Scout Association’.  In 1994 the Constitution was reviewed and the name of the Association became ‘The Scout Association of Malta’. 

A Brief History of Scouting in Malta

Few countries have a tradition in Scouting as Malta has. It was during his term as Assistant Military Secretary to his uncle General Sir Henry Smyth, who was Governor of Malta between 1890-93, that  Baden-Powell showed that concern for the welfare of the soldiers which in time led to his writing 'Aids to Scouting'.

During his time on the Island B-P started contributing his sketches to English newspapers, learnt sculpting, organised stage shows and opened a gymnasium which he dubbed 'The Poultice'.

With his connections with Malta and his many Maltese friends following his career, it was natural that The Scout Association of Malta would be the first overseas branch of the British Association. It was formed only months after the first Scouts appeared on the Island and within a short time of the camp at Brownsea Island in July-August 1907.

The Malta Scout Association formally applied to become a member of the British Movement on November 9, 1908 and was officially recognised a year later.

Those first few Scouts started a tradition that has kept Scouting in the very forefront of youth education in Malta. Since its early years Scouting has been the most active and strongest youth organisation on the Island.

Baden-Powell visited Malta on several occasions and took the Maltese Scouts under his wing, often writing to them with advice and praising 'the progress in efficiency and the spirit of the Boy Scouts of Malta'.

Shortly before his death Baden-Powell typed what was possibly his last letter, on July 21, 1940 from Paxtu in Kenya 'to congratulate my old friends, the Maltese on the plucky way they have stood up to the infernal bombing of the Italians ... They have the spirit of fearlessness and patience which enables them to face danger with a smile to stick it out to the triumphant finish ...'

The Scouts of Malta played a notable role in the aerial siege of the Island between 1940 and 1943. They were collectively decorated with the unique honour of the Bronze Cross 'in recognition of their courage and devotion to duty in the face of continuous enemy action in the war for freedom'.

The Scout Association of Malta was until 1966 a branch of the British Association. Malta became an independent state in 1964 and in October 1966 the Maltese national organisation became a member of the World Scout Conference.

The Maltese Scouts have been represented at all Jamborees except two, those in the Philippines and Japan. It was the Maltese Scout contingent which at Olympia in 1920 initiated the move that proclaimed B-P Chief Scout of the World.

In 2007 the Scout Association of Malta celebrated 100 years of International Scouting and just one year later, in 2008, Malta celebrated it's own centenary.

The Scouts of Malta have maintained throughout all these years their sense of service and dedication to the ideals of the Movement as conceived by its founder.