Founded in 1911, Junák – český skaut is the largest organisation of children and youth in the nation, with a membership of 73,315 (as of 2022).

[1] A voluntary, non-political civic organization, without restriction to membership, Junák was founded in 1911 by Antonín Benjamin Svojsík, who, after visiting British Scouts, wanted to establish a similar movement in his homeland.

In that book, he combined Baden-Powell's system of education; ideas of the American writer, traveller and painter Ernest Thompson Seton (founder of Woodcraft); and the traditions of the Czech nation.

The participants walked the entire 200 km distance on foot, and their luggage was brought there on a single large push-cart.

In January 1915, the first Girl Scouts were introduced, under the leadership of Vlasta Koseová, and shortly thereafter, a section for Guide Education was established.

Junák was abolished by force and Scouting prohibited by German State Secretary Karl Hermann Frank during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia on 28 October 1940.

After the war, the association was re-registered in Prague in 1945, following the country's liberation, with 120,000 members registered in 1946, the number of members grew to nearly 250,000, (making it the second largest association in the World Movements at that time), and in 1947, a contingent of 500 represented Junák at the World Scout Jamboree in France, sporting two Scout bands.

In 1968, during the Prague Spring, Scouts and Guides again began meeting openly, until Junák was banned by order of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, in October 1970.

On June 30 1996, Junák – svaz skautů a skautek ČR was welcomed as the 141st member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.

Junák is a "Scout and Guide National Organization" in accordance with the Statement on Relationships between WAGGGS and WOSM.

The organisational body of Junák is divided into 14 regions and below 80 districts, overseen by the National Assembly (14 elected, 17 appointed by regions and internal bodies), led by the Chief Scout and Chief Guide, who, in turn, appoint the president and the members of the executive committee of Junák.

Communications between the districts and regions, and to Junák headquarters, includes monthly information packages sent to all groups, mostly by e-mail.

Junák also organises monetary drives and information campaigns, e.g. in support of cancer research and development projects in Ethiopia.

Each year on a Saturday near Saint George's Day (April 24), Czech Scouts make a pilgrimage to the site.

[citation needed] The Scout Motto (Skautské heslo) is Buď připraven, translating as Be Prepared in Czech.