Latvia

Latvian Guide Law

Gaidu likumi

1. Gaida ir patiesa
   
2. Gaida ir uzticıga Tevijai
   
3. Gaida ir pasaizliedzıga un palıdzıga
   
4. Gaida ir draudzıga un iecietıga
   
5. Gaida ir pieklajıga
   
6. Gaida ir dzıvnieku draudzene
   
7. Gaida ir paklausıga.
   
8. Gaida ir moza grutıbas
   
9. Gaida ir darbıga un taupıga
   
10. Gaida ir tıra domas, vardos un darbos.
    

Guide Law

1. A Guide is trustworthy
   
2. A Guide is loyal to fatherland
   
3. A Guide is self-denying and helpful
   
4. A Guide is friendly and tolerant
   
5. A Guide is courteous
   
6. A Guide is a friend to animals
   
7. A Guide is obedient
   
8. A Guide is alert in hardship
   
9. A Guide is active and thrifty
   
10. A Guide is clean in thought, words and deeds
    

Development of the Movement

Guiding was started in Latvia in 1921 under the umbrella of the Latvian Youth Organisations. In early 1922 the Latvijas Gaidu Centrala Organizacija (the Girl Guides Central Organization of Latvia) was set up and Girl Guiding was permitted to operate as an independent organisation. Latvia was a Founder Member of WAGGGS in 1928, enjoyed a visit from Olave Baden-Powell, World Chief Guide in 1933 and had a very active Guiding life until the Movement was banned in 1940.

Fifty years later, in 1990, Latvian Guiding and Scouting was officially re-started as Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrala Organizacija (LSGCO, the Latvian Scout and Guide Central Organisation). WAGGGS appointed the Swedish Guide and Scout Council, which already had contacts with Latvia, as the Western European ‘Link’ country for the organisation, promoting a close working relationship between the two countries.

Guiding has now been successfully re-introduced to many areas of the country including some small villages.