Inter-American Leadership Training 2015 By Patrick A. R. Welch On the morning December 26th 2015, I embarked on a journey that would change my outlook and overall prospective about the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and Messengers of Peace (MOP). As I left Piarco International Airport with my ILT 3 teammate Mr. Siddeeq Shakoor to attend the Inter-American Leadership Training in Muxbal, Guatemala, I could never have imagined how much my views and ideals would be influenced by the, at that time group of strangers that I would meet at ILT 3 even though we were all connected by the common link of Scouting. The leaders I had the good fortune to meet, interact with, learn from, teach and laugh with at ILT 3 would in time become my friends and by the end, I was proud to call them not only my brothers and sisters in Scouting but my family for life. We arrived in Guatemala a full two days ahead of the start of ILT and I immediately noticed that this event would be a unique one. We were greeted by representatives of the Scout Association of Guatemala. Traveling to the Camp, we shared a bus with two members of the ILT staff, where we witnessed the comradery and friendship that would soon be a staple of our ILT experience. The next few days were spent meeting, welcoming and getting to know the over 60 participants, team assistances and adult staff. The program divided participants into colour coded teams of 8 all from different NSO’s. I was placed along with a group of wonderful people into the Team 7 (Pink), we were referred to as the Pinkies throughout ILT 3. The Inter-American Leadership Training provided a delightful opportunity to develop and improve our leadership skills we also acquired team-building, conflict management, problem-solving, decision-making, project planning and critical thinking abilities. This training program also forged us, at a team level and at the ILT 3 group level into an unbreakable oneness that can only come from truly understanding and emphasizing with the joys, inspirations, motivations, pains and fears of your fellow participants. This experience can never be quantified and my single regret was that the time together with my family was only six days. We are however living in an age of social media and digital technology that we will continue to work together through all available mediums. Following the ILT 3 motto “NEVER GIVE UP, Never Surrender” I encourage all of my fellow leaders to be the exemplars in your society and at your NSO’s, as we work together as Scouts and as Messengers of Peace to complete our MOP projects both on a team and individual level and continue to spread the ideals of Scouting to the younger generation while working towards the objectives of our NSO’s and WOSM. On the final day as we had the closing ceremony, we embraced each other, and as we cried together, having truly come to understand and love each other. The love between ILT participants was the kind of pure snow flake that is rarely seen in today’s society. Even as we hugged and shed tears as we had to begin the journey to our homes home, I, promised as Bear said, this will not be good bye but truly a see you again and soon.