| Type: | organization |
| Fédération Libanaise des Eclaireuses et des Guides | |
| Headquarters: | Damascus Road |
| Location: | Beirut |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| F-Date: | 1961/1998 |
| Members: | 6,615 |
The Fédération Libanaise des Eclaireuses et des Guides (FLEG, Lebanese Federation of Girl Scouts and Girl Guides) (Arabic: الإتحاد اللبناني للمرشدات و الدليلات) is the national Guiding organization of Lebanon. Guiding was introduced to Lebanon in 1937 and became a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) in 1954. The girls-only federation consists of five independent organizations with a total of 6,615 members(as of 2008).[1]
Guiding in Lebanon started in 1937, when the Catholic Association des Guides du Liban (AGDL) was founded. The association followed mainly the program of the Guides de France. The Guides de Liban were admitted to WAGGGS as an associate member in 1954.[2]
In 1957, a second organization was founded: the interreligious Association des Eclaireuses du Liban (AEL) which also sought international recognition. So both organizations joined and formed the Organisation Nationale des Guides et des Eclaireuses du Liban (ONGEL, National Organization of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts of Lebanon) in 1961. The WAGGGS membership was transferred to this joint organization, which became a full member in 1963.[3] ONGEL was among the founding members of the WAGGGS-Arab Region in 1966.Guiding continued even during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975 to 1990, but most activities on national and international level had to be stopped and membership dropped. After the end of the war new groups were founded and membership increased again. The end of the war marked also the beginning of contacts between ONGEL and a number of unrecognized Lebanese Guide associations. Thus led to the formation of the Fédération Libanaise des Eclaireuses et des Guides in 1998 whose members were all unrecognized but wanted to adhere to WAGGGS.[4]
During this process of adhesion both the AGDL and the AEL became members of the new federation. In 2005, five of the eight members of the federation were recognized by WAGGGS and the WAGGGS membership was finally transferred to the FLEG.
Members of the federation are
During its formation the federation had up to eight member organizations. Three of them were not recognized by WAGGGS; among those were the Masharih Girl Scouts Association and the Association of Guides for National Development.
The Lebanese Guide organizations follow different program schemes that have to be recognized by the federation and by WAGGGS. All five members of the federation cooperate with the corresponding Boy Scout organizations who are all members of the Lebanese Scouting Federation.
The association is divided in six branches, corresponding to age or needs:
The association is divided in three branches:
This association emphasizes on youth leadership; most leaders are between 17 and 22 years old.[5]
The membership badge of the Fédération Libanaise des Eclaireuses et des Guides and many of the member Guide emblems incorporate the Cedar of Lebanon, the national symbol.