Demetrios Alexatos (; 26 October 1919 in

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

– 8 April 2001 in

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

) Scout name "Rann", meaning " Brahminy kite" from '' The Jungle Book'', served as the National Commissioner of the

Scouts of Greece Scouts of Greece or Soma Hellinon Proskopon (Σώμα Ελλήνων Προσκόπων, ΣΕΠ) is the National Scouting Association of Greece and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognized member organization for Greece. Scout ...

for 17 years, from 1948 to 1965, on the personal recommendation of king

Paul of Greece Paul (; 14 December 1901 – 6 March 1964) was King of Greece from 1 April 1947 until his death on 6 March 1964. Paul was born in Athens as the third son of Constantine I of Greece, Crown Prince Constantine and Sophia of Prussia, Crown Princess ...

, Camp Chief of the 11th World Scout Jamboree held 1–11 August 1963 in

Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

, as well as an elected member of the World Scout Committee from 1957 to 1963. Alexatos was born 26 October 1919 to parents from

Cephalonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia (), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallonia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th-largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It is also a separate regio ...

in the

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in western

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, who had lived in Constantinople for many years. He gave his Scout promise in 1932 at the 9th Troop of Athens. He was married but he did not have any children. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he served in the Royal Hellenic Navy, and he went to

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

where he was a leader of the Greek Rover Scouts. He was first elected as secretary of the Scouts of Greece, and in 1952 he was awarded the highest Greek Scout medal, and the Silver Wolf Award, the highest award made by

The Scout Association The Scout Association is the largest organisation in the Scout Movement in the Scouting in the United Kingdom, United Kingdom. Following the rapid development of the Scouting, Scout Movement from 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 ...

of the

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"for services of the most exceptional character." Alexatos introduced the current World Scout Emblem at the 8th World Scout Jamboree in 1955. In 1963, Alexatos was awarded the 29th Bronze Wolf Award, the only distinction of the

World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest and, after the Order of World Scouts (formed in 1911), is the second-oldest international organization in the Scout Movement, having been established in 1922. It has 176 members. ...

, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting. He was the only Scout in Greece who was voted honorary President of the Greek Scouts. The Greek National Scout Center was named in his honor. In the Athens Scout headquarters, visitors are able to see his Scout collections.

Publications

*Alexatos, Demetrios (1997), ''Scouting: a Wonderful World'', published by the Scouts of Greece (in Greek) *Alexatos, Demetrios (2000), ''In the Way of a Life'' (in Greek)

References

Recipients of the Bronze Wolf Award 1919 births 2001 deaths Scouting and Guiding in Greece World Scout Committee members Constantinopolitan Greeks Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire to Greece {{Greece-bio-stub