The Hungarian Scouts Association in Exteris traces its origins to 1946, when a few dedicated scout leaders, refugees from wartorn Hungary, formed the first exile troops among the children in European refugee camps. With the ensuing emigration, the movement spread overseas and today counts a total of 5,049 members (boys, girls and adults) registered in 81 active troops in Western Europe, North and South America, and Australia. The goal of the Association has been to preserve Hungarian culture and language while practicing the historically high standards of Hungarian scouting, and to represent Hungary in world scouting while the movement was proscribed at home by the communist government. Since 1989 an added goal has been that of aiding the rebirth of Hungarian scouting in Central Europe through the distribution of thousands of copies of the scout manual and the organization of training courses for prospective leaders. By now over 200 young men and women have benefited from these courses, including many of the Hungarian minorities in Slovakia, Romania, Carpatho-Ukraine and the former Yugoslavia.