Thank you for your interest! My name is Martin, and I have been nominated by Scouting in Liechtenstein to run for the World Scout Committee.
I would like to invite you to learn why I aspire to serve on the World Scout Committee and why I believe I deserve your vote.
I've been a Scout since the age of six. Scouting taught me the basics, like how to start fires, to build a camp, and to lead my patrol. I learned to be supportive of my peers, to be resilient during tough times, and to stand up for those who need it.
Scouting internationally instilled in me a deep appreciation of the richness and diversity of our cultures, helped me to foster lifelong friendships and offered me a chance to extend my second family. Scouting enabled me to lead my NSO to its first ever Strategy and comprehensive Youth Programme Review.
Scouting empowered me to represent millions of young people at world level, internally as a youth advisor and externally as a representative, and to establish a structure ensuring continued youth representation on global platforms within and outside of scouting.
I've had the opportunity to author one of Scouting’s principal non-formal education documents, contribute to the safety of young people and adults through our Code of Conduct and build global partnerships to strengthen our Movement. Scouting made me the person I am today and it is as a result of my Scouting experience that I feel empowered to step forward and volunteer to lead and help strengthen our Movement.
My motivation
My motivation is simple: I want to ensure that every young person, regardless of their background, has the chance to participate in and gain from high-quality Scouting. Achieving this goal requires robust Member Organisations, backed by a financially diverse global organisation with the ability to financially support its regions and members, and to collaborate effectively with other youth organisations worldwide. Additionally, it requires a global organisation that takes into account the realities of all of its Member Organisations, regardless of their size. Small member organisations, their needs and interests, need to be represented at the table of the World Scout Committee.
My main motivation aligns with the proposed Strategy for Scouting, and is reflected by my past actions and achievements.
I am motivated to leave our world a little better than I found it, serving generations to come.
Together, we need to work towards a more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world that is shaped by young people. Scouting has given me the opportunity to work on these goals externally by shaping the global discussion on the role young people play in society and internally by contributing to Scouting's climate impact strategy and by enabling every child in Liechtenstein to access quality scouting. Additionally, I am proud of the time I dedicated to creating and strengthening structures that would allow WOSM - via a modified version of the Youth Advisor system - and international institutions to be shaped by young people.
I am motivated to leave the scouting movement a little better than I found it, serving current and future scouts worldwide.
Together we need to keep innovating our educational methods, strengthening our approaches to diversity and inclusion, safeguarding our members and celebrating the value of volunteering. Scouting has enabled me to innovate our approach to education by being the lead author of the Rio Declaration on non-formal education and by strengthening Scouting Liechtenstein's approach to diversity and inclusion.
Furthermore, Scouting has entrusted me with the implementation of the Safe from Harm guidelines in the Liechtenstein member organisation and with increasing the value of volunteering by working closely with the European Alliance for Volunteering.
I am motivated to leave our member organisations a little better than I found them, serving you.
Together we need to stay influential, be adaptable and remain fit to deliver on our core purpose, non-formal education. Scouting has entrusted me, due to my professional experience, with its finances as treasurer for my MO, as board member of the European Scout Foundation and by serving on the WOSM finance committee.
Furthermore, scouting has entrusted me with developing a key pillar of WOSM's good governance system, the ethics committee. My professional work has empowered me, as an Economist, to measure the impact of severe scenarios on Liechtenstein's economy, and as data steward I am at the forefront of digital transformation. Finally, by serving scouting in the role of Co-Lead for the Partnerships unit, it was my main task to ensure WOSM became an influential organisation. By setting up the youth representative system, one of my core achievements, we have taken a first step into the right direction.
Overall, I believe my motivations are mirrored closely in the Strategy for Scouting and my experiences enable me to contribute effectively. However, I firmly believe that in order to make quality scouting accessible to every young person, WOSM must increase its financial support to MOs.
About Martin - here is a link to a formal CV
Scounting
I've been in Scouting since I was six, although I can't quite remember exactly when I started – it feels like it's always been a part of my life. My mom and uncle were big into Scouting, both locally and nationally, so naturally, my brother and I tagged along to scout activities from a young age. I went through Cub Scouts, Scouts, and then Pioneers before eventually becoming a Cub Scout leader myself. Scouting in my local group taught me a great deal about resilience, from leading my Cub Scout unit and organising camps to securing funding and troubleshooting; many challenges had to be overcome. This resilience is something I continue to carry with me today.
One of the coolest experiences during my time in Scouting was participating in the World Scout Jamboree in Sweden. It opened my eyes to the global scope of Scouting. Meeting scouts from all over the world who shared common values and were working towards the same goals was incredibly inspiring. I spent a lot of time at our delegation tent proudly representing Liechtenstein and sharing our Scouting traditions. When I got back home, my interest in international Scouting caught the attention of our international team, and that's when I got involved with WOSM.
On the European level, I got to join the external representatives and work with an amazing group of scouts to champion youth rights across the continent and to serve on the board of the European Scout Foundation, fundraising for local Scouting. Then, at the global level, I served as a Youth Advisor to the World Scout Committee. I was co-leading the partnerships unit, focusing on establishing the youth representative system, and being the lead author of the Rio Declaration on Non-Formal Education. Additionally, I served on the Task Force that established the ethics committee.
After concluding my term as Youth Advisor, I was elected to the national board of Scouting in Liechtenstein, where I served as Treasurer for two years before assuming the role of Vice-Chair. Throughout my term on the board, I took the lead in crafting our organisation's first strategic plan, overseeing financial matters, conducting a comprehensive review of our youth programme, and implementing safe from harm standards. Additionally, WOSM has entrusted me with looking over its finances, by appointing me to the standing committee on finances in the last triennium.
The last 20 years, from experiencing Scouting’s youth programme as a cub scout, to representing our organisation, to leading fundraising efforts, to sitting on and leading parts of our global governance board, have given me the knowledge and experiences necessary to be an effective member of the World Scout Committee.
Personal / Professional
Born in 1994 I grew up in Balzers, the southernmost village in Liechtenstein. Following my high school graduation, and greatly influenced by my international Scouting experiences, I pursued a Master of Arts in Economics and International Relations at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Subsequently, I obtained a Master of Science Degree in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics.
Following my studies I started my professional journey at the Liechtenstein UN Mission in New York. Upon my return to Liechtenstein, I transitioned into the financial industry. Presently, alongside my commitment to a PhD in Economics, my primary responsibilities encompass ensuring the stability of the Liechtenstein financial system and negotiating Liechtenstein's accession to the International Monetary Fund.
When not Scouting I enjoy board and card games, reading fantasy (currently revisiting Dune), skiing and hiking.
My professional background in finance, risk management, and negotiation, applied and tested in scouting as well as professional environments, stands as a testament to the key skills required for effective leadership within our global organisation. These competencies position me to contribute meaningfully to the work of the World Scout Committee.