The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) Bronze wolf award is awarded by WOSM for "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement". The award consists of a bronze wolf pendant with a WOSM emblem hung on a dark green ribbon bordered by two narrow stripes of yellow. Since the award's creation in 1935, fewer than 400 have been awarded. WOSM has limited the number of awards, previously to two with a two-year period, in order to keep the award a notable honor and it was given even more rarely, with only 12 awards being bestowed between 1935 and 1955. However, between 1955 and 2015, the award was bestowed 346 times. WOSM guidelines are that awards should be limited to "approximately one award for each 2,000,000 members worldwide". Eight Bronze Wolf Awards were given in 2017.

History

In 1924, WOSM determined to give its own awards and discussion was re-opened in 1932, with a decision reached in June 1934. WOSM's Bronze Wolf award is modelled after the The Scout Association's Silver Wolf award in the United Kingdom. On 2 August 1935, WOSM’s committee unanimously resolved to award the first Bronze Wolf to Baden-Powell.

Recipients

Awards numbered 22, 50, and 84 were withheld and number 342 was declined for reasons that have never been made public. Among the recipients have been heads of state such as Hamengkubuwono IX, Vice President of Indonesia, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Bhumibol Adulyadej and Philippine president Fidel V. Ramos.