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 A
day to celebrate with all of our sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the
world. New Zealand is one of the first countries to greet the sun as it rises
over the Pacific, so the thoughts sent to guiding sisters around the world start
with us.
To celebrate World Thinking Day: - Do something
special
- Make Thinking Day cards with peace messages
- Be more helpful
- Have
a special international meal
- Play international games
- Learn a
song or dance from another country
- Hold a special birthday party
- Listen
to stories or act out a play
- Climb a hill, watch the sunrise and celebrate!!
- Raise Money for the World Thinking Day Fund
- Your
unit, district or region might decide to raise for the World Thinking Day Fund.
The idea for this special day
began at the 4th International Conference of WAGGGS (World Association of GirlGuiding and Girl Scouts) held in the USA in 1926. February 22 was the shared birthday
of the Founder, Lord Baden-Powell, and his wife the World Chief Guide, Olave,
Lady Baden-Powell.
At the 7th World Conference held in Poland in 1932, a
delegate from Belgium suggested that since birthdays usually meant presents —
all Girl Guides/Girl Scouts could offer a voluntary contribution along with their
thoughts on Thinking Day as a way of showing appreciation and friendship . The
suggestion caught on quickly and the Thinking Day Fund was established for the
promotion of GirlGuiding/Girl Scouting wherever the need was greatest. In
1957 – the hundredth anniversary of the birth of the Founder, Lord Baden-Powell
— the World Bureau produced a Thinking Day phonograph record. Among the items
on the record is the World Song, the Maori Stick Game (Lemmi sticks), a Zulu Lullaby
and a Thinking Day greeting from the World Chief Guide. A Thinking Day
song was composed in 1975 by Sue Stevens of the UK.
A Thinking Day symbol
was introduced in 1975. The Trefoil in the centre represents the World Association.
The arrows pointing towards the trefoil represent action and direction. The circular
design represents the world of the Girl Guide/Girl Scout Movement. In July
1999, at the 30th World Conference, the new name of World Thinking Day was adopted,
emphasising the world aspect of Thinking Day. 
JOTA is Jamboree on the Air; JOTI
is Jamboree on the Internet.
They are held annually on the third weekend in
October.
At these events, guiding and scouts talk to other guides and scouts
overseas and in New Zealand, using either a radio ham’s station (JOTA) or
a computer (JOTI). The experience is lots of fun and you’ll learn heap, you’re
encouraged you to participate if you can. Our biscuits are an icon in New Zealand
and all members are involved in selling them. The sale of biscuits raises funds
for units and promotes GirlGuiding to the community. Our biscuits are really popular
with New Zealanders so they’re easy to sell. There are three yummy choices:
Plain, Choc and the bite size Choc-dipped Guide Minis.When you help to sell biscuits
you will complete clauses of the Biscuit Patch programme and receive a badge.
The biscuit patch is a different colour each year.
Each July, for at least one meeting, members of GirlGuiding New Zealand
will focus on and learn about international guiding.
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