In September 2000, building upon a decade of major United Nations conferences and summits, world leaders came together to the United Nations Headquarters in New York to adopt the United Nations Millennium Declaration. This declaration committed their nations to a new global partnership meant to reduce extreme poverty and set out a series of time-bound targets with a deadline of 2015. These have become known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The 8 MDGs form a blueprint agreed by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions.

The SW Programme begins development within the framework of the Strategic priorities “Youth Involvement” and “Adolescents” approved by the World Scout Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2002. The purpose of the programme fundamentally remains educational. However, it does not mean that it does not seek an impact on society too.

In 2004, appreciative of its partnership with the United Nations (UN), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) has signed an agreement with the UN to contribute actively to the campaign on MDGs. The SW Programme - meant to educate thousands of Scouts and non-Scouts to world citizenship - was launched.

In January 2006 the first Scouts of the World Award Guidelines were published. This document gives guidelines on how NSO’s can implement the Scouts of the World Award, as an element of their Senior Section programme, and open it to all young people, members or not of the Scout Movement. The production of this publication was possible thanks to the help of the Scouts of the World Technical Commission, the participation of Kandersteg International Scout Centre and hundreds of Scouts and experts around the world.

After four years of running the Scouts of the World Award it was decided that there needed to be some updates the the guidelines to make it more relevant. The production of this publication has been possible by the work of Dominique Bénard and Andrés Morales from the World Scout Bureau, with the help and support of: Hakki Camur, Matt Franzke, Claire Petithomme, Daniela Rivera, Mark Shepheard, the Kandersteg International Scout Centre and participants in WONDERforums.

The Scouts of the World Award celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year.During the 40th World Scout Conference in Ljubljana, Sloveneia Scouts of the Wold Award celebrated it 10th Birthday, with a party and cake. Over the last decade, thousands of Scouts and non-Scouts, from more than 40 countries around the world, have committed to “think globally, act locally” in making their communities a better place. #ScoutForum #SWAward

On 3 December 2014, WOSM and UNESCO signed an agreement to promote the World Heritage Education programme that encourages young people to take part in projects related to heritage conservation and protection. Through this agreement, WOSM and UNESCO World Heritage will recognize projects undertaken by young people through the Scouts of the World Award programme at any of the UNESCO World Heritage locations. Detailed information will be sent to all National Scout Organizations early next year. The partnership demonstrates WOSM's commitment to heritage conservation and protection worldwide, a commitment that is parallel to our mission of creating a better world.

The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre today launched the World Scouting – UNESCO World Heritage Recognition initiative at the 23rd World Scout Jamboree here. The initiative aims to empower young people, particularly Scouts, to preserve and promote World Heritage sites through the framework of the Scouts of the World Award (SWA) Programme. Through the initiative, Scouts and non-Scouts (aged between 15–26) who succeed in completing their SWA project at one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites will receive a World Scouting-UNESCO World Heritage Recognition badge, Patrimonito-Scout Badge, and certificate. They will also be encouraged to develop Scout Heritage stories to inspire Scouts and other young people to protect their cultural and natural heritage. The initiative hopes to raise awareness and mobilise young Scouts and non-Scouts to participate in World Heritage preservation and promotion; to promote active citizenship and help strengthen synergies among young people and their local communities. Present at the reception were the World Scout Committee Chairperson, João Armando Gonçalves, World Scout Committee Vice-Chairperson and Messengers of Peace Liaison person, Jemima Nartey, World Scout Committee Member and Jamboree Director, Mari Nakano, WOSM Secretary General, Scott A. Teare, and the Focal Point for UNESCO World Heritage, Carméla Quin.

At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030. These goals replaces the MDGs

We are pleased to inform you that the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) will be organising the World Scout Seminar on the Scouts of the World Award that will be hosted by Scouts et Guides de France, from 13 - 15 November 2015 in Paris, France. The aim is to gather key Scout leaders of National Scout Organizations (NSOs) and stakeholders from around the world and provide updates on the development of the Scouts of the World (SW) Award programme and to revitalise the SW Award programme in the senior Scouts sections (15-26 years age range) to support the continuous growth of Scouting

Today at the Scouts of the World Award Seminare in Paris the participants were given the new SW Award Guidelines,. This document is designed for the youth member between the age of 15-26 years old who want to complete their award. So do you have what it takes to be an active word citizen?? Don't hesitate any longer join the adventurer today

A Scout of the World project carried out in a UNESCO World Heritage site can now earn the award, as well as the Patrimonito–Scout Badge. UNESCO and WOSM agreed to cooperate with one another in order to achieve common goals through the World Scouting–UNESCO World Heritage Recognition programme. Patrimonito consists of a badge and certificate, recognised by both UNESCO and WOSM, to be called the Patrimonito–Scout Badge, for the purposes of promoting World Heritage, educating young people and calling on them to take actions for sustainable development. The SW Award programme is the educational vehicle that will carry out this initiative.

To celebrate 100 years of Rovering, a special edition of the Scout of the World Award badge was created. To obtain the badge, young people have to ensure that Sustainable Development Goals are clearly tackled by their project, and that their voluntary service includes in some way the number "100".

Scouts for SDGs is a mobilisation of 50 million Scouts that leverages the Scout Youth Programme and the Movement’s initiatives under the Better World Framework, including the flagship Messengers of Peace initiative, to raise awareness and take action towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Scouts of the World Award will provide education for sustainable development, which will contribute to the development of key competencies in young people and the achievement of 17SDG.