Scouts, Technology, and the Nation's Vanguard
The 65th Scout Day in 2026 serves as a profound moment of reflection for the Scout Movement to prove its relevance amidst the rapid pace of the modern era. Today, the battlefield for young people is no longer limited to outdoor exploration and conventional knot-tying skills. Scouts are now faced with waves of rapid global change, particularly the heavy flow of information technology, the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), geopolitical dynamics, and challenges regarding food and energy security. This is where scouting character is tested to prove itself as the vanguard in leading Indonesia towards progress.
The rapid flow of digital technology and AI should not be viewed as a threat, but rather as a great opportunity and ‘new fuel’ for every Scout member to continue training and refining themselves. Through the wise use of technology, Scouts can complement themselves with global insights, discipline, and relevant modern skills.
Technology is essentially just a tool that requires moral guidance to be of positive value. Although technology can multiply individual capacity, character acts as the compass to ensure that such great power brings benefit. Without a solid moral foundation sourced from the Tri Satya and Dasa Darma, the younger generation will be highly vulnerable to various contemporary social issues such as bullying, violence, the spread of hoaxes, and the erosion of social concern.
Therefore, Scout members are required to be wise in selecting and filtering information. They must reap the benefits of technological progress for self-development, while firmly discarding the harms that can damage the values of goodness.
To respond to the challenges of this disruption, scouting education methods are undergoing a significant transformation. If we previously knew the ‘learning by doing’ method, that concept has now evolved into ‘learning, creating, and solving’—learning, creating, and solving real problems directly within the surrounding environment.
This is clearly reflected in the theme for the 65th Scout Day and the XII National Jamboree in 2026: ‘Creating, Innovating, Skilled, and Independent to Support Food Self-Sufficiency’. This commitment aligns with the second ‘Asta Cita’ of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia regarding the strengthening of national resilience and independence through food, energy, and water self-sufficiency.
For Scouts, food security is not merely a matter of planting in the field. It involves the integration of character education, the application of appropriate technology, resource management, clean energy efficiency, and the cultivation of an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. Through real activities such as waste management, planting food crops, and utilising local potential, Scouts are trained to become resilient problem solvers for society.
Through a consistent and adaptive forging process, the Scout Movement continues to strive to prepare superior human resources to welcome ‘Indonesia Emas 2045’ (Golden Indonesia 2045). Equipped with strong leadership, deep-rooted independence, and the spirit of ‘gotong royong’ (mutual cooperation) that is a hallmark of the nation, Scouts are being prepared to become future leaders of integrity.
Scouting education is expected to produce a generation that not only survives the onslaught of technology but also grows as food innovators, scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, and professionals with an unextinguishable spirit of service to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
Ultimately, these superior characters are what will ensure the Scout Movement remains relevant. By uniting the power of technology with a strong national character, the Scouts are ready to stand firmly at the frontlines, acting as the vanguard that guides Indonesia out of the era of disruption towards a sovereign, advanced, and dignified civilisation.