Messengers of Peace Relaunch Begins at Castle Saunderson

The weekend of 27 and 28 June 2026 marked an exciting step forward for Scouting Ireland, as the Messengers of Peace relaunch began with a soft launch at the Beavers and Cubs event in Castle Saunderson International Scout Centre.

The weekend gave Beavers and Cubs the chance to be among the first young people in Scouting Ireland to try out new Messengers of Peace activities and resources. The activities were fun, colourful and full of positive energy, with young people exploring kindness, teamwork, friendship, wellbeing, community spirit and the small actions we can all take to make the world around us better.

The response from young people and Scouters was extremely positive and has given the Programme Team valuable feedback as preparations continue for the wider rollout of Messengers of Peace across Scouting Ireland.

Messengers of Peace in action

A total of 123 Beavers and Cubs took part in the Messengers of Peace activities over the course of the weekend. The young people came from 21st Wicklow, 21st Meath, 6th Meath, 2nd Tipperary and 12th Armagh Scout Groups, bringing together participants from across different parts of the island to share in the experience.

Two new activities were trialled during the weekend, giving participants the opportunity to engage with Messengers of Peace in a hands-on and meaningful way.

As part of the Messengers of Peace activities, in 'Small Actions, Kind Messages & Minions of Peace', Beavers and Cubs explored how peace can begin with everyday choices. They chose a small action for peace, created kindness postcards for people at camp, and took part in a playful wellbeing activity where positive messages were drawn on bananas.

In 'Seeds of Peace', young people planted native Irish wildflower seeds while learning that peace, like a seed, needs care to grow. They planted seeds to bring home, chose a peace action, and contributed to a shared planting area at Castle Saunderson.

Both activities helped show that being a Messenger of Peace can start with something simple: one kind word, one helpful action, one welcoming gesture, or one small commitment to care for people, community and nature.

All feedback received from those who attended the Beavers and Cubs events was positive, with young people and Scouters highlighting the fun, engaging nature of the activities and the strong sense of community and shared purpose throughout the weekend.

What is Messengers of Peace?

Messengers of Peace is one of World Scouting’s major global initiatives. It encourages Scouts to take action in their local communities and contribute to a more peaceful, inclusive and sustainable world.

The programme recognises that peace is not only about the absence of conflict. Peace can also be built through kindness, service, inclusion, friendship, environmental care, community action, and support for positive mental health and wellbeing.

Across the global Scout Movement, Messengers of Peace has supported more than 16 million projects and actions, contributing nearly 3 billion hours of community service. The relaunch in Scouting Ireland reconnects our members with that wider global movement, while giving Scout Groups practical ways to take action locally.

Why Castle Saunderson?

Castle Saunderson was a particularly meaningful place to begin this next chapter.

Located close to the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, Castle Saunderson has a powerful story connected to division, reconciliation, peace and renewal. From the beginning, the International Scout Centre was intended to be more than a campsite. It was developed as a cross-border youth centre where young people from different communities, traditions and backgrounds could meet, share experiences, build friendships and learn together.

Speaking at the centre’s opening in 2012, President Michael D. Higgins described Scouting as “a real force for peace and harmony between peoples”. He also marked Castle Saunderson’s designation as a World Peace Centre through the World Scout Foundation’s Messengers of Peace programme.

That connection remains important today. Castle Saunderson’s location, history and purpose make it a fitting home for the return of Messengers of Peace in Scouting Ireland.

Why a relaunch?

Although Castle Saunderson had a strong connection to Messengers of Peace from the beginning, that connection became less visible in recent years.

Like many Scout Centres, Castle Saunderson was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. From April 2021, the centre closed for normal Scouting activity and was used as a COVID-19 testing centre serving Cavan and the wider North East. In doing so, Castle Saunderson continued to serve the community in a practical way, reflecting the same spirit of service that sits at the heart of Scouting and Messengers of Peace.

The relaunch is about bringing Messengers of Peace back into active use across Scouting Ireland. It will refresh resources, rebuild awareness, support Groups to take action locally, and reconnect young people with a global Scout movement focused on peace, service, inclusion, wellbeing and community impact.

What happens next?

The Messengers of Peace activities trialled at the Beaver and Cubs weekend at Castle Saunderson was only the beginning.

Over the coming months, Scouting Ireland will continue developing and expanding Messengers of Peace through three connected areas of work.

A refreshed Messengers of Peace Starter Toolkit will give Scout Groups practical guidance, ready-to-use activities, links to the Sustainable Development Goals and SPICES, and simple templates for planning, reflection and reporting.

Youth Facilitator Labs and Scouter training will support young people and adults to lead Messengers of Peace locally, helping to build a national network of people who can bring the programme to life across Ireland.

A pilot micro-grant scheme will help Scout Groups and youth teams turn ideas into action by supporting local, youth-led projects in their own communities.

In simple terms, the toolkit will give Groups the guide, the training will prepare people to lead it well, and the micro-grants will help local Groups turn ideas into action.

Stay tuned

There will be opportunities to sign up soon for further Messengers of Peace activities, training and local project supports.

The reintroduction and availability of the Messengers of Peace badge will run alongside this wider rollout, giving young people a way to recognise and celebrate the positive difference they are making in their communities.

Stay tuned for more details.