The Sevin Projects, supported by the ICS-Sevin Foundation, strengthen the means of the Scout Movement to foster peace in the world.
A specific fund, the Sevin Fund, was created within the FISC (International Foundation for Catholic Scouting) to help Scout associations respond to the challenges of interreligious and intercultural dialogue around the world. It provides financial support to projects working in this direction.
The Sevin Fund is innovative in its financing approach, as it does not rely directly on donations. It is a beneficiary of the ISR Ararat shared fund, an ethical investment fund founded by global actors in the Catholic education and youth sectors. By allocating part of its operational costs to the ICS-Sevin Foundation, this fund enables ethical, sustainable, and virtuous financing. Hence the importance of finding new investors for the ISR Ararat shared fund, to support a greater number of projects — as already done by the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Sisters of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, Fondacio, Scouts et Guides de France, and others.
What types of projects does the Sevin Fund support?
The Sevin Fund operates through an annual call for projects, open to all member associations of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM).
Selected projects must:
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Contribute to establishing relationships of mutual respect between Scouts of different religions,
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Help them gain a better understanding of the foundations of their own faith by encouraging critical thinking,
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Enable them to create and experience sustainable collaborations at local, regional, and international levels.
In practical terms, this can include educational activities and programs, training and capacity-building actions, or events within or outside the Scout Movement. There are many such projects, and the Sevin Fund aims to expand their reach — for example, implementing the Interreligious Dialogue Badge within an association, training Scout spiritual leaders within an NSO, or organizing Faith and Beliefs spaces at national or international events, etc.
Through the actions it finances, the Sevin Fund directly implements the message of Pope Francis’s encyclical Fratelli Tutti. It aims to help each Scout build the conditions for peace within our common home, as they committed to on the day of their Scout promise.
Project Selection
A small international, multicultural, and multireligious team evaluates the projects based on their relevance, long-term usefulness, spiritual approach, budget feasibility, and validation by their national association.
Initial Outcomes
The ISR Ararat shared fund was created in 2021–2022, during a difficult period marked by COVID and a subsequent financial crisis. It wasn’t until 2023 that we were able to launch the first call for projects. Of the 21 proposed projects, 7 received support of €1,200 each. These projects, located in South America and Africa, were selected for their relevance and wide impact. Through them, more than 30,000 volunteers benefited from the Sevin Fund’s support, gaining meaningful interreligious experiences.
In 2024, the call for projects was launched very late. As a result, only around fifteen projects were submitted, and only two met the funding criteria of the ICS-Sevin Foundation.
Call for Projects 2025
The year 2024 has been marked by an escalation of interreligious tensions around the world. These events highlight the urgent need for peace education, grounded in dialogue and interfaith friendship. We therefore hope that this year, the desire to make the world a better place will be reflected in many new projects.
All practical information and the link to submit a project are available on the ICCS website:
https://www.cics.org/nous-soutenir-3/fundacion-ice-sevin/?lang=es