WTD message from the Chairman

Happy World Thinking Day 2010!

Ten million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world celebrate World Thinking Day on 22 February. This year, World Thinking Day focuses on the theme girls worldwide say “together we can end extreme poverty and hunger.” Unfortunately, poverty is still a global challenge, with even the wealthiest nations continuing to experience a widening gap between the rich and the poor. In some of the poorest nations in the world the vast majority live with poverty and hunger everyday.

I ask you all to join in the World Thinking Day celebrations, think about your sisters around the world and help to raise funds to support girls and young women to realize their full potential.

The money raised from World Thinking Day will go towards the development of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting across the world, for the development of non-formal education programmes, supporting the work of Member Organizations to carry out projects and advocacy campaigns, and to sponsor young delegates at international events. The funding will also ensure access to training for girls and young women across the world so that they can develop international leadership skills.

There are so many things you can do to raise money and show your support - there are lots of ideas on the World Thinking website. You can also download your World Thinking Day 2010 card to send to your friends around the world. At the same time, you can show your support for WAGGGS and contribute to the WTD theme by donating £1, $1 or €1.

This year’s World Thinking Day has a special focus on five countries across our five regions: Haiti (Western Hemisphere), Sudan (Arab Region), Zimbabwe (Africa Region), Maldives (Asia Pacific) and Georgia (Europe Region). Each of the five countries will receive a grant from the World Thinking Day Fund for a project to grow Guiding and Scouting in their countries and provide more girls with opportunities to develop into global citizens.

Sadly Haiti has been in the spotlight following the devastating earthquake there in January. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the international Girl Guide and Girl Scout Movement for opening their hearts and pockets for their sister Guides in Haiti. Messages of compassion and support from Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to their Haitian sisters and to Haitians generally are pouring in. Moments like these demonstrate the strong values and international sisterhood that make Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting such a unique and important Movement, ready, willing and able to take action to make the world a better place.

Such traditions have been integral to Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting for 100 years and this year we start our centenary celebrations, which will continue until 2012! Please do explore the new WAGGGS website, especially designed for girls and young women, and complete the centenary activities online, participate in global advocacy campaigns or learn about Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting around the world on the Our World section.

Please join us in celebrating World Thinking Day and helping us bring more opportunities to girls and young women from around the world.

Yours in Guiding and Scouting

Margaret Treloar

World Board Chairman