Joining Girl Guides and Girl Scouts together for a day of celebration
Imagine a global birthday party, with 10 million girls invited, all working towards making a positive impact. Now stop imagining and RSVP.
22 February is World Thinking Day and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is throwing a party.
The day marks the birthday of Olave Baden-Powell, the former leader of the movement. To celebrate, the global sisterhood of 10 million members will take part in local, national and international actions, focused on their positive “impact”.
WAGGGS will also be connecting groups through a massive online party, beginning in New Zealand and finishing in North America. Participating groups will receive calls during their celebrations from guides in a country east of them and then ring the next country over – like a massive digital relay of birthday baton passing.
Girls will share the challenges they face in their own communities and the impact they have on creating positive change.
Like Heena; a girl scout from the Jammu and Kashmir Scouts and Guides Association in northern India, who shares her birthday with World Thinking Day. Her family are originally part of the Kashmiri Pandit, but migrated to Jammu due to the threat of terrorism.
“It is a day when we think about others. Whenever I wear my Girl Guide uniform, I feel special and unique also a sense of responsibility comes to my mind.”
On 22 February she will turn 19 and spend the day making a positive impact.
“I will go to the poor and needy and distribute clothing, books and other stationary items … I have also have decided to prepare food.”
Guide and Scout leaders Haifa and Montasser, live in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Their daughter Noor will turn one on World Thinking Day.
Having a young daughter has prompted them to think about the impact they have.
“As a first time mother and a leader affiliated to the largest movement of girls in the world, the 22nd of February each year is a very special day,” Haifa said.
“Being an exemplary girl in your community and an initiative taker towards innovation and positive influence for everyone around you is not easy.”
“I have always encouraged all girls to experience joining the Guiding Movement in order to be an active citizen and contribute to changing the world for the better.”
