The Moot is spread across Portugal with the Opening Ceremony beginning in Lisbon (Lisboa), Paths across the country, Main Camp in Ovar and the Closing Ceremony in Porto. More information below.  

WSM2025 begins with the Opening Ceremony in the morning on 25/08/2025, then all participants travel to their Paths. At the end of the Paths on 30/08/2025, the event continues with all participants travelling to the Main Camp with the Closing Ceremony ending the event on 3/09/2025.  

Any participants not on the Pre-Tour are to arrive in Lisbon to meet the Contingent on 24/08/2025 before 1pm Lisbon time. Accommodation and dinner are provided for this evening. International Service Team (IST) members are required to arrive in Lisbon on 23/08/2025 by 6pm Lisbon time, however are able to arrive earlier to setup their campsite and sign-up for activities for their free-time. 

At the end of the Main Camp on 3/09/2025, the Moot culminates in the Closing Ceremony in Porto, just 30 minutes north of the campsite. Australian Contingent members will be provided accommodation for this evening. The event is finished the next morning on 4/09/2025 and the Post-Tour begins shortly after. If not on Post-Tour, no activities are planned for the morning of 4/09/2025, only breakfast will be provided and you will be allowed to leave as you wish.

A “Path” is a unique experience or program designed for participants to engage with different aspects of Portuguese culture, environment, history, and adventure in a Patrol of 10 international scouts. These Paths are tailored to offer immersive activities in various locations across Portugal, allowing Scouts to explore the country while developing skills, learning about local traditions, and connecting with international Scouts. 

A Tribe is like a unit in Australia that is made up of several Patrols. Each Tribe will first meet each other at the beginning of their Path and continue through the Moot experience together until the Closing Ceremony, camping and eating together along the journey.  

Each Path has its own theme based on the Moots motto of ‘Engage’ Paths are a core part of the Moot experience, offering memorable, hands-on opportunities for cultural exchange and personal growth. 

The four Path themes are: 

1. 1. 1. Nature & Adventure
      2. Life & Spirituality
      3. Society & Politics
      4. Culture & Arts 

Each participant will choose a theme that interests them along with several other factors on a sliding scale and other choice factors for things like how you cook meals, level of physical activity, accessibility etc. The Moot Organising Committee then places participants in a Patrol and a Tribe on Path.  

If you have never attended an international event, you must create an account using the Online Event Management System (OLEMS).  To create a new account, click on the link below 

https://registrations.international.scouts.com.au 

Complete the details at the bottom of the page, press “register applicant” and then check your email for the registration confirmation. It may go into your “junk folder” so take a look in there just in case. 

To ensure you are ready for applications opening on 1 August, perhaps get your account set up a couple of days before opening so you’re ready to go! As soon as you login, the Moot will show up in events you can register for so you will be able to click on that and start your registration. 

Some things to get ready so you can enter all details required into your application: 

• Medicare Card 
• Health Fund details 
• ID photo 
• You will need two referees, so start thinking about who you will be using and reach out to them and also check their email and phone number.
• The medical section is very important, the more the Contingent knows about you, the more they can assist whilst you are at the event.
• Enter all of your medications clearly. 
• Upload any medical action plans you may have. The Contingent needs to know you carry an EpiPen for example.
• These details remain confidential and being truthful about any conditions you may have will not impact you being approved to attend the event.

• Check your passport’s expiry date. For example, you can’t enter some countries if you have less than 6 months validity on your passport from the date you intend to leave that country. This may apply when you’re transiting or stopping over in the country. 
• If you have to lodge a renewal application, allow plenty of time.
• Upload a copy of your passport into your application. This is a requirement we must follow from DFAT. 

If you contract the virus and are unable to travel to the Moot, please advise the Contingent Leader as soon as possible. Ensure you visit your GP and get a certificate that states you were unable to attend this event due to COVID and you will not be joining later. 

You will then be able to submit a claim and recoup some of your losses as this is classed as an unforeseen circumstance outside the control of the covered traveller. 

The Contingent Leader will work with the National Office to assist you with the next steps.

It is a mandatory requirement of any member of Scouts Australia attending the Moot that they sign this. You will not be able to join the Pre-Tour, Moot or Post-tour if you don’t sign this before leaving for the event. 

This will be uploaded into OLEMS and you will be advised to log in and sign saying you agree with all rules outlined in this document. 

If it is decided that a member of the Contingent has broken one of the rules outlined in this, they could be asked to leave the Contingent and will be responsible in changing their flights at their own expense. 

Scouts Australia arranges travel insurance for everyone who is a part of the contingent. The National Office sends a manifest to our insurer, and this has everyone’s name and any pre-existing conditions. If you are listed as attending then you are covered, they do not need to know how long it is going to take you to get to Europe. 

But, if you are planning any extra travel before joining the Pre-Tour or travelling on after the Post-Tour ends, then you will be required to organise your own insurance. 

For example, you decide you will spend a week in London before heading to Portugal, break your leg and then turn up at the Moot. Our insurance policy will not cover you if you need treatment when you get back home. And if you had to travel home and couldn’t attend the Moot because of an incident like this, you are not covered by Scouts Australia. 

But if you have an incident on the way to the event at a connecting airport for example, then you are covered because you are part way through your journey and something unplanned has happened. 

• Your cover starts from the time you leave your residence to start your journey and ends once you have returned to your residence. 
• If you are attending the Pre-Tour and Moot only, your cover will start from the day you depart Australia to join the Pre-Tour until you return home after the Moot.
• If you are only going to the Moot and Post-Tour, you will be covered from the day you start your journey to the Moot up until you return home after the Post-Tour.
• If you are only attending the Moot you are covered from the start of your journey to the Moot meeting location up until you return back to Australia after the Moot.

Pre-Tour 

This starts in Barcelona on 15 July and concludes in Lisbon where you will be meeting up with the rest of the Contingent. So, if you are planning on leaving Australia on say 13 July, this is when your travel insurance commences. 

Moot Only 

The Contingent is meeting in Barcelona on 24 July. So, if you are departing Australia on say 21 July, this is when your travel insurance commences. 

Post-Tour 

This starts in Porto 4 August and ends 13 August in Morocco. So, if you are travelling straight back to Australia after the Post-tour ends, you are covered until you arrive home on 15-16 August for example depending on whether you have direct flights or stop-overs. 

Applications open on 1st August 2024 and close on 21st September 2024 or until all available positions are filled. All applicants must register using the Australian Contingent’s online application system, OLEMS. An application is not considered complete until the authority is signed in your application form and your deposit has been received. Submitting an application is no guarantee of acceptance to attend the event. 

Applications for both tours and the main moot event all open on 1st August 2024. Applications for the moot itself are limited to what the Moot Organising Committee sets our limit at. If your application is marked as (NHQ) accepted, your spot on the contingent is confirmed. If not, your deposit will be fully refunded.  

We cannot give an exact timeline of when your application will be approved. Firstly, you must completely submit it and pay the deposit. Only then will applications be reviewed fully by the CMT. Then your home branch is required to confirm your membership status. Once this has occured we are able to accept your application.  

The European Union has announced they will be introducing a new travel authorisation for many visa-exempt countries. Starting in the first half of 2025, Australian visitors to any of these 30 countries are required to apply for the entry requirement. It is linked to your passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. You can fill out the application form using either the official ETIAS website. Applying for the ETIAS travel authorisation costs EUR 7.

With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays – normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.