Centenary news 2010

GAT Community Action pack – act to celebrate the centenary

WAGGGS has a history of standing up for vulnerable members of society. For more than 60 years, volunteers have represented WAGGGS and its member at the United Nations. Through the Mutual Aid Scheme, Member Organizations support each other to implement community-based projects. Participating in Centenary activities that make a difference to your community is especially important: Will your contribution help to make our collective actions be remembered in 100 years’ time? Find out more...

The Centenary stamp

The centenary is being celebrated in all sorts of ways around the world, including in the production of special commemorative stamps. A number of Member Organizations have already produced stamps with their mail service, including Girlguiding Isle of Man (UK) (above left), and Ascension Island (above right). And please do send us images of your commemorative stamps so that we can post them on the website.

News from the Western Hemisphere

Centenary stamp collection issued in Argentina

The Argentine Post has joined in with the celebrations organized by the Argentine Guides Association to commemorate the centenary of Guiding and Girl Scouting by issuing a special collection of stamps.

The stamp collection consists of 40,000 copies with four designs, which reflect the mottos of the four sections and girls silhouettes symbolizing the characteristics of Guides such as friendship, being outdoors and unity. The collection also consists of 4,000 first day covers. Additionally, postmarks have been designed with the faces of Olave Baden Powell, Agnes and Mamina, the founder of Guiding in Argentina.

The stamps can be purchased at branches of the Argentine Post Office or at the headquarters of la Asociación Guías Argentinas in Buenos Aires.

The official launch took place on August 21 in Buenos Aires and was attended by officials from the Argentine Post Office, collectors and representatives of the Asociación Guías Argentinas.

Classical music in El Salvador

Girl Guides from the Asociación Muchachas Guías Scouts de El Salvador, family and friends enjoyed a concert by the National Symphony Orquestra to celebrate the centenary of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting. Everyone received a centenary brochure with information about the 100 years of changing lives.

The Association prepared a photo exhibition with photos of the activities organized in April 2010 and also some of the visit that Lady Olave Baden-Powell did to El Salvador in 1959 and 1966.  

Our Cabaña, Mexico

Across the world, participants at Our Cabaña’s New Year Girl Friendship event were in for a centenary celebration treat. Not only did they celebrate the New Year in a uniquely Mexican way, but participants also shared with each other how they celebrate seeing in the New Year in their own country. Participants took part in a community service project as well as learning about the UN Millennium Development Goals and how they can change lives in their own communities. 

90th celebrations in Brazil

Brazil has been celebrating its 90th anniversary and at the same time celebrating the centenary of global Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting. The Federação de Bandeirantes do Brasil recently held a national camp for the whole association. In January we will have a hiking camp for Rovers.

Girl Scouts of the USA centenary Community Action Projects focuses on the environment

The Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) will honour its 100th anniversary in 2012. Girl Scouts will make a major impact on the environment as part of their celebrations. In 2010 GSUSA will launch a nationwide programme where girls take action in their schools and communities to improve the environment through Community Action Projects. This year the programme is in its second year. More information will be available soon.

100 in 100 Global Guiding Challenge

From January to June 2010, Girl Guides of Canada are invited to visit a special 100 in 100 interactive map to learn more about their Guiding sisters around the world.

For more information visit the Girl Guides of Canada website.

News from Asia Pacific

Double celebrations in Fiji

More than 300 Girl Guides in Fiji celebrated the centenary of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting on 10 October 2010, coinciding with the independence celebrations of the country, at Fiji’s old capital Levuka. The celebration also saw the planting of a centennial tree to commemorate.

"The weekend was used not only as a celebrity occasion but as a learning experience for members of the FGGA and it also gave us a chance to reaffirm our ‘promises' and ‘law' and more importantly to sow the seeds of change," says the Fiji Girl Guides Association (FGGA) President Dr. Akanisi Kedrayate.

Regarding the implementation of the WAGGGS’ Global Action theme ‘together we can change lives', Dr Kedrayate says: "The Centennial Programme celebration that was launched in Levuka was the stepping stone to the many changes that members of the FGGA will try and make in our personal development, in our schools, community and in our environment."

Guiding in Fiji

Levuka was where a Methodist Missionary, known only as Ms H.C Hammett, formed the first company of Girl Guides 86 years ago. This was only 14 years after Sir Baden Powell and Lady Olave Powell developed the first training method for girls.

After Levuka, Suva was the next township to be swept with the Guiding passion and a company was formed after the Levuka girls presented themselves before the Duke and Duchess of York during their visit in 1926.

Guiding was introduced all over the country through the education system and became instrumental in the development of many young girls, enabling them to grow up and become good role models in our communities.

The first company to be formed in Fiji was in 1924, five years from when the International Council. Guiding took an outstanding role in the country and by 1930 nearly most of Fiji has had a company of Girl Guides in the many schools around the country. In 1980 the Commonwealth Guide Association granted approval for self governance to the FGGA. Fiji became a Full Member of WAGGGS in 1996.

Launch of the centenary celebrations at Girl Guide Singapore’s World Thinking Day event

8,000 Girl Guides, Girl Scouts and guests joined the launch of the Centenary Celebrations at the Girl Guides Singapore World Thinking Day event. Participants included Girl Guide and Girl Scout friends from Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, UK and the USA.

The event took the form of a pageant showing the history of Guiding and including a dramatisation of the scene at Crystal Palace when a group of girls demanded a space for girls. For the first time ever, members from across Singapore came together to produce and perform the pageant. “It was a truly meaningful and grand celebration befitting of the Centenary of our Movement,” Jalilah Johar and Jessie Tan, members of Girl Guides Singapore.

ACE 2010 – Centenary Celebration in Australia

Almost 2,500 Guiding members from across Australia and10 nations gathered at the Marcus Oldham Agricultural College on the outskirts of Geelong in Victoria, Australia for a week of centenary celebrations.

Australia welcomed 198 international guests, of whom 131 were from the Asia Pacific nations of Cambodia, Fiji, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan and Thailand.

Chief Commissioner of Australia, Mrs Lynne Price opened the camp in a moving and inspiring opening ceremony in a huge horse arena. Celebrating 100 years, our international movement and advocacy the opening set the scene for the next 6 days.

Activities included: bungee trampolining, rock climbing and abseiling, dancing, financial literacy, swimming with the dolphins, sailing, faith activities, environmental activities, horse riding, bike riding, cooking, fishing, craft, the camp of the future, archery, wide games and much, much more.

Power Up in Australia

An inspirational, new training and development programme has been developed for 18 to 30 year old Guides in Australia, as part of the centenary celebrations and the Australian Year of the Girl Guide. The programme was launched at an event in January at which members took part in the programme. 

A video conference formed a key component of the three day event with participants from across Australia interacting with each other and talking to some of Australia’s most influential and powerful women, including Tanya Plibersek, Federal Minister for the Status of Women, Linden Edgell, Deputy Chairman of the WAGGGS World Board, Anna Dekker, Advocacy Manager for UNICEF Australia and Terrie-Anne Johnson, CEO of Clean up Australia. 

Cake ceremony in the Cook Islands

The Girl Guides Association Cook Islands did a cake ceremony at the St Joseph Primary School on 10 February to celebrate the centenary. Their Centenary Ambassadors, Tutu Mare and Ngara Katuke represented the association.The school will also plant two lemon trees to mark the 100th birthday. 

News from Europe

World Thinking Day marks centenary celebrations in France

The Scouts et Guides de France held a joint celebration on World Thinking Day this year. Members can download the resource pack which contains games, activities and information about World Thinking Day and the centenary for their own use from the members’ area.

Centenary Celebration - Ultimate New York Adventure

Senior Section members of Girlguiding UK enjoyed a once in a lifetime trip to New York as part of their centenary celebrations. The trip included a tour of the UN and the chance to meet one of WAGGGS’ Representatives at the UN to find out more about WAGGGS’ important advocacy programme.

Painting the town red in Belarus

In Belarus, Girl Guides participated in a painting competition. You can see some of the winning designs on the centenary photography page. 

Eurolife.03

Europe’s centenary celebrations kicked off with Eurolife.03 over the New Year, with 70 Guides and Scouts meeting in Germany. As well as celebrating New Year’s Day, they were the first Guides and Scouts in Europe to start celebrating the centenary of international Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting which began in 2010. During the event, the participants took part in a special tree planting ceremony – to reflect the first annual theme of the three-year centenary celebrations.

Centenary at Roverway 2009

Around 500 participants at Roverway joined in early centenary celebrations as they tested out the 2010 Centenary Celebration Day pack. Young people aged between 16 and 22 attended the event which took place at the end of July 2009. Visit the Europe micro site for more information about the event itself.

Participants enjoyed a giant game of Sudoku where the sum of each square was 100.

The young people were invited to plant their ideas for the centenary celebrations, and here are some of their ideas…

• a virtual online journey through the five regions and on the way discovering different cultures and encountering different centenary adventures…
• games around the number 100
• a big international gathering
• online challenges and virtual games

News from the Arab Region

“Speak out, Change Lives” in Lebanon

In Lebanon, the Lebanese Girl Scouts Association is focusing on the theme of “Speak out, Change Lives.”

The World Thinking Day theme “together we can end extreme poverty and hunger” was a great opportunity to launch an initiative to support Friends of Londiani, Ireland; a charity that works in partnership with the people of the Kenyan community in Londiani, to develop and complete sustainable community projects.

The Lebanese Girl Scouts Association in partnership with three other associations the Lebanese Girl Guide Association, Al Jarrah Girl Scout Association and Al Muslim Girl Scout Association organized a dinner to raise money and improve the lives of 100 children in Londiani (Kenya).

The target was reached and $3000 was raised to sponsor 100 children in Bethel Children’s Home in Londiani for one month.

Celebrations in Oman

The Omani Scouts and Guides Association was honoured by a visit from King of Sweden, King Carl Gustav. His Majesty visited a jamboree for the environment earlier this year, and he planted a date palm tree to join the 100 other plants which had been planted by Guides and Scouts. King Gustav also added his signature to a framed picture containing 100 other signatures from guests and participants.

News from Africa

Double celebrations in Rwanda

The Guide Association of Rwanda (AGR) celebrates its 30^th anniversary as well as the 100^th anniversary of international Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting. In July there was an international camp attended by 100 young people in each province and in Kigali, with the theme “We are the future”. As part of the camp, there was a celebration on the theme of “100 years of changing lives”.

There were also centenary celebrations at the Amahoro National Stadium on the 1st August (picture right). The First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, was the guest of honor.

Nigeria celebrates

The Nigerian Girl Guides Association will spread the centenary messages far and wide. As part of its publicity programme, the association will run camps, seminars, and workshops for Girl Guides to learn about the centenary and plan their own celebrations. The Association will also visit government representatives and schools to promote the centenary. During the celebrations there will be religious services, excursions to places of interest, empowerment programmes for young women and a media campaign to promote the association.