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Celebrating WTD Friendship Flyer

SisterhoodHappy World Thinking Day!Each year on February 22 – the joint birthday of our founders, Lord and Lady Baden-Powell – Girl Guide and Girl Scout members everywhere observe World Thinking Day (WTD). Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada (GGC) members use this day to participate in activities with global themes, to learn about important issues facing girls, and to celebrate the sisterhood of global Guiding. This Friendship Flyer is designed to help you celebrate World Thinking Day with your unit.

WAGGGS World Map

Our WorldOur WAGGGSAs a member of the World

Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Girl Guides of Canada is part of a global

movement that unites 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from

145 countries. WAGGGS’ Member Organizations (MOs) come from

five global regions: Africa (31), Arab (14),

Asia Pacific (25), Europe (39) and Western Hemisphere (36).

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WTD Friendship Flyer

A single year of primary school increases the

wages people earn later in life by 5 to 15 per

cent for boys, and even greater for girls.

More than one in four adults worldwide cannot

read or write, and two-thirds of these are

women.

More than 100 million children of primary school age are not

able to attend school.

Education for All

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This World Thinking Day, remember your sisters in Guiding who may not

have the chance to go to school.

The statement embodies WAGGGS’ commitment to UN Millennium

Development Goal #2 – to achieve universal primary education by

ensuring that children and adoles-cents everywhere complete a full

course of primary education.

Girls worldwide say “education opens doors for all girls

and boys.”

Didyou

know?

What can you do to make a difference in the world?

Ask yourself: What are you doing in your own community to help make a difference? What are you passionate about? What do you think makes you a good leader?

There are many different ways to make a difference in the world. Start or join a club at school; volunteer with a local organization or at a special event in your community. Look to those around you for inspiration. Your Guiders, teachers, and family can provide lots of support, encouragement and advice as you decide what you can do.

What can your unit do to make a difference in the world?

Sparks: See the Sparks Guider program book for “The World Around Me” activities, page 32. Brownies: See the Brownies Guider program book for “Guiding Throughout the World” activities, page 100.Guides: See the Guides program book for “Guiding Throughout the World” information, page 37.Pathfinders: See the Pathfinders program book for “A World to Discover” activities, page 135.Ranger: See the Rangers program book for “Global Awareness” activities, page 77.

Meet MalalaMalala Yousafzai, a teenager from Pakistan, was shot by Taliban gunmen because of her fearless advocacy of the right of girls to access education in her native Pakistan. She has since become an international symbol for universal education, and was nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize. Her participation in a UN event that focused on the support of universal education brought together many young women who joined her in speaking out about girls’ rights.

Take Malala’s Message to the Girls!Use the following ideas and resources to get your girls engaged in making a difference in the world, too!

Girls Around the World

ActivitiesHave each girl draw her future self. It could be a picture of her in her future career, with her family, or any way she sees herself as an adult. Share each drawing and discuss with the group

what resources each girl will need to become this future self, and how her life would be different if school was not easily accessible to her. What obstacles might she face? How might she overcome them?

Split your unit into two groups. Tell the girls that only one group is allowed to play a game today, because the other group is different. Have one group play a short game, such as Tag or Duck,

Duck, Goose, or a card game. Give them lots of attention and encouragement, while the girls in the other group sit alone facing the wall in silence. Afterwards, bring both groups together and ask, “Was this fair?” and “How did this make you feel?” Discuss why some girls don’t get to go to school, and others do. Refer to wagggs.org for more information on girls’ education.

In Bolivia, 30 per cent of adult women cannot read or write.

Every girl has the right to an education, but more than 60 million girls around the world

are denied access to primary school.

In Canada, Aboriginal girls are 16 per cent less likely to complete high

school than non-Aboriginal girls.

In Malawi, fewer than one in

200 girls go to university.

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In more than 50 countries

around the world, neither

primary nor secondary

education is free.

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Travel the World!

Our Chalet, Adelboden, SwitzerlandFor more than 80 years, Our Chalet has been an international meeting place where Guides and Scouts can experience Swiss culture, grow through challenges in the outdoors, and form life-long friendships.

Pax Lodge, London, EnglandPax Lodge offers historical and cultural aspects of London and Girl Guiding, including many mementoes of World Chief Guide Lady Olave Baden-Powell. Here you can experience the excitement of London city-life, develop leadership skills and live in a bustling international setting.

Our Cabaña, Cuernavaca, MexicoOur Cabaña, which opened in 1957, offers the chance to experience the unique culture of Mexico and its traditions, history and people. Set in five acres of landscaped gardens with a tennis court, swimming pool and craft house, this World Centre is a haven away from home.

Sangam, Pune, IndiaFounded in 1966, Sangam, which means “coming together,” serves as a place for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world to meet to share their experiences, as well as the culture and traditions of their homelands and those of their sisters from other Member Organizations.

Each year, Girl Guides of Canada offers extraordinary learning opportunities for girls and Guiders to travel, through both Canadian and international trips. A Girl Guide travel experience is a unique way for members to meet other remarkable girls, to challenge themselves, and to gain a new perspective on

The Fifth World CentreThe Fifth World Centre is a pilot project exploring how WAGGGS can provide an international experience to all Member Organizations in Africa, by using various locations throughout that continent. The venue changes for each event to enable more girls and women, not only from Africa, but from around the globe, to enjoy a World Centre experience. To date, events have taken place in Ghana, South Africa and Rwanda.

Imagine you could create your own country – from scratch! Think about what everyday life would be like for youth in that country, including life at home, school, chores, hobbies, sports and social activities. Then:• Give your country a name.• Design and draw your country’s flag.• Write a set of children’s rights for all young citizens.• Design and draw what a school would look like

in your country. What unique features would your school have to make learning fun and safe?

• Design a Girl Guide uniform for your country’s WAGGGS Member Organization.

Canadian and global issues. One way to experience this kind of travel is to visit one of the World Centres. There, you will have access to workshops and training on global topics such as leadership, advocacy and community action.

The World Centres and the GGC Travel Program

Zoe’s Trek Around the World is a great Challenge to do with younger girls, especially for World Thinking Day!

Check it out at: bit.ly/1edJLG8

WTD Friendship Flyer

Design your Own Country!

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