Chairman's message for World Thinking Day

February is the month of World Thinking Day, the day when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts across the world will give thanks for the international Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting Movement and dedicate their thoughts to the environment.

World Thinking Day video

To mark the beginning of February, WAGGGS World Board chairman Nadine El Achy has filmed this message to explain why girls are so important in the fight against climate change.

We want you to help us spread the word about World Thinking Day by tweeting about World Thinking Day and about the environment using the hashtag #GirlsSaveOurPlanet – both in the run-up to 22 February and on the day itself.

How to prepare for World Thinking Day

This year's World Thinking Day is themed around UN Millennium Development Goal 7: environmental sustainability, so remember to mark the day with activities focused on the environment and climate change.

In order to make the most of the day, it is important to prepare now. Here’s how to get ready:

1. Organise or take part in an environmental activity and tell us about it – why not pick a fun activity from the World Thinking Day activity pack and log your activities on our interactive map? 
2. Tweet #GirlsSaveOurPlanet on 22 Feb 2012
3. Donate to the World Thinking Day Fund to help develop Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting around the world.
4. Think about how you could raise money on World Thinking Day to help sustain the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting Movement. Try out our fundraising ideas, or ask people to donate small amounts through our Facebook page.
5. Contribute to the Rio+20 consultation. Help ensure the voice of girls and young women are heard at Rio+20, the UN’s conference on sustainable development.
6. Learn more about our focus countries Guyana, Japan, Ivory Coast, Russia and Tunisia by reading our webpages about them.

WAGGGS' Chairman's World Thinking Day video message

Each year, millions of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world celebrate World Thinking Day on 22 February. This year, our message is “we can save our planet”, based on Millennium Development Goal 7: ensuring environmental sustainability.

The World Association is placing girls and young women at the very heart of efforts to save our planet. We’ve developed a number of non-formal education programmes on environmental sustainability to help inform girls and young women about climate change. And since 2009, we’ve taken a youth delegation the United Nations’ annual climate change conferences.

Many of our Member Organizations have been supporting and empowering girls and young women to learn about the environment and take action against climate change for many years. These projects range from cleaning up communities affected by natural disasters to running advocacy campaigns or raising awareness of the benefits of recycling.

We want to offer more opportunities like these to girls and young women. We need your support to do this! World Thinking Day is a time to think about our sisters around the world and raise funds towards the development of the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting Movement.

Unfortunately, women and girls are disproportionately affected by the devastating effects of climate change. They walk further when water runs out, and during food shortages, the health of girls and young women is more likely to worsen than that of men due to gender inequality.

The future of our world is in the hands of young people, especially girls and young women. We firmly believe that girls and young women must be at the centre of all policy and programme developments that aim to ensure our environment’s future.

In 2012, we will focus on five more countries where Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting supports girls and young women to have a long-term and beneficial impact in their communities. These are Guyana, Russia, Ivory Coast, Japan and Tunisia. This offers you a great chance to learn more about your sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in these five focus countries.

Your contributions to the World Thinking Day Fund are invaluable, and your participation in activities on the day each year unites you with 10 million girls and young women in our global Movement. There are lots of ways you can get involved – from sending an environmental e-card to doing the World Thinking Day badge. And don’t forget to let us know how you celebrate, we love to hear your stories and share them with other Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world.

Happy World Thinking Day to you all!

Nadine El Achy

Chairman, World Association of Girls Guides and Girl Scouts