Submitted by the GSCO Global Action Team
Hopefully, you have been busy finding out why we celebrate World Thinking Day (WTD), what this year’s theme is (peacebuilding), and the meaning of the World Pin or Badge.
Continuing our progress thru the Countdown to World Thinking Day document, it is time to find out about the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and where the Five World Centers are located.
My Experience
The Five (5) World Centers are our home away from home. I have been privileged to go to four of the World Centers. My first trip was with a patrol of girls from Mountain Prairie Girl Scout Council to a program at Our Chalet in Adelboden in the Swiss Alps of Switzerland. There were nine girls and two adults (including me) that left DIA for a four-week trip to include ten days at Our Chalet and quick trips into Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and a final stop in London with a visit to Olave House (predecessor of Pax Lodge). Well, I was hooked on international travel and visits to the World Centers. I could talk on and on about how wonderful the World Centers are, but you have work to do to discover it yourself!
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts – (WAGGGS) – Countries
Did you know that each Girl Scout has nearly 10 million sisters? Yes, and this sisterhood reaches to girls and young women from round the world and reside in the 152 member countries of the WAGGGS.
On a map of the world, mark the countries that have Girl Guides or Girl Scouts. Go to the WAGGGS website and Our World – Regions you will see all the Regions listed. Each Region lists its countries.
What are the five region names as indicated by the (?) marks above?
Choose a region and check out what member countries are there? Click on several of the countries.
Look at their pins. Are they similar to ours or different?
How many members do they have?
Do they have only girls or do they have boys too?
Compare their membership numbers to our Girl Scouts of Colorado membership of about 20,000.
World Centers
As a starting place for information, look in the “Our Girl Scout World section of your Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting Handbook” where there is lots of information about the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and the World Centers.
Check out the WAGGGS website for more information on each center.
What events does each host?
What are some of the other things you can do at while at each Center?
There are video tours of each World Center that are a must see!
For Our Chalet, there is a Birthday Blog that the Global Action Team did in July.
Which is the newest World Center? Why does it not have a building?
Which World Center do you want to visit and why?
Special World Center Announcement — Virtual Programs with activities
As the World Centers are temporarily closed for 2021 and not hosting face-to-face events, teams at the centers have been busy developing a multitude of virtual programs in the following areas:
Global Adventures
Race across Europe completing mini challenges; travel through London while learning about our founders and those who have shaped Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting through time; learn what’s needed to take part in an international World Center adventure and hear first-hand the amazing experiences of Girl Guides/Girl Scouts who have been there.
Cultural Discoveries
Explore different cultural celebrations and skills from the countries our World Centers are located in. Take a virtual trip through the Swiss Alps, move virtually around the Africa Region, celebrate the Festival of Light with Sangam, and enjoy the Queen of England’s Birthday with Pax Lodge. Try out a new cultural skill from Bollywood dancing to cooking a traditional Indian dish and much more.
World Center Explorations
Join a virtual tour of a World Center, an information session, try some activities virtually, and learn about what makes our World Centers so special to our Movement. Meet members of the World Center Team members and ask the questions you have always wanted to ask!
International Connections
Be part of the Global sisterhood along with hundreds of other Guides and Scouts from across the whole Movement to celebrate World Thinking Day, International Women’s Day, and International Friendship Day.
These programs are scheduled to run through out the year. Check out the program dates by by registering for the events at the following site: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/wagggs-world-centre-virtual-programme-32268147887
Thanks for joining our journey through The Countdown to World Thinking Day. In the coming weeks, there will be more fun things to do in preparation for the BIG DAY – World Thinking Day on February 22.
We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.