World Thinking Day, formerly Thinking Day, is celebrated annually on February 22 by all Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. It is also celebrated by Scout and Guide organizations and some boy-oriented associations around the world. It is a day when they think about the their 'sisters' (and 'brothers') in all the countries of the world, the meaning of Guiding, and its global impact.
Most recently, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts has selected an important international issue as the theme for each year's World Thinking Day, and selected a focus country from each of their five world regions. Girl Guides and Girl Scouts use these as an opportunity to study and appreciate other countries and cultures, and equally increase awareness and sensitivity on global concerns. Donations are collected for the Thinking Day Fund which supports projects to help Girl Guides and Scouts around the world.
February 22 was chosen as it was the birthday of Scouting and Guiding founder Robert Baden-Powell and of Olave Baden-Powell, his wife and World Chief Guide. Other Scouts celebrate it as B.-P. Day or Founders' Day.
At the local level, the event is sometimes held to the closer week end or another convenient date.
History
In 1926, at the Fourth Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the United States’s Camp Edith Macy (presently the Edith Macy Conference Center), the conference delegates highlighted the need for a special international day, when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts would think about the worldwide spread of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting, and of all the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world, giving them, their 'sisters,' thanks and appreciation.
It was decided by the delegates that this day would be February 22, birthday of both Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, and Lady Olave Baden-Powell, his wife and the First World Chief Guide.
In 1999, at the 30th World Conference, held in Ireland, the name was changed from 'Thinking Day' to 'World Thinking Day'.
World Thinking Day Fund
At the Seventh World Conference in Poland, a Belgian delegate suggested that the girls' appreciation and friendship should not only be shown by the exchange of wishes, but also through presents, which are after all typical of birthdays, in the form of a voluntary contribution to the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
In her first letter about the World Thinking Day Fund Lady Olave Baden Powell asked the Girl and Girl Scouts to donate 'just a penny,' in order to support the Movement.
The World Thinking Day Fund is used to help more girls and young women around the world by spreading the Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting programme.
