World Conference (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts)

The World Conference is the governing body of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and meets every three years. If a country has more than one association, the associations form a federation for coordination and world representation.

This article is about the global governing body of the Girl Guides. For other groups known as the World Conference, see World Conference (disambiguation).

As the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting movement spread, independent national Guiding associations were set up; however, a need for international cooperation was felt. Lady Baden-Powell founded an informal International Council in London in February 1918. In 1920, two leaders from each known Guide country were invited to the British County Commissioners Conference held at Saint Hugh's College, Oxford. This became known as the First International Conference. The 13th World Conference was held in the same college in 1950. The member organizations continue to meet every three years (initially every two years) at World Conferences.[1]

At the fourth World Conference held at Camp Edith Macy in 1926, representatives from several countries suggested the formation of a World Association to take the place of the informal International Council. After the 1926 International Conference the Baden-Powells were approached about setting up a formal association and in 1928 the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts was founded at the 5th International Conference held in Parád, Hungary.[2] Rose Kerr was Vice Chairman, later Commissioner for Tenderfoot Countries.

List
  1. 1920 – first International Conference – Oxford, England
  2. 1922 – second International Conference – Cambridge, England
  3. 1924 – third International Conference – Foxlease, United Kingdom
  4. 1926 – fourth International Conference – Camp Edith Macy, New York City, United States
  5. 1928 – fifth International Conference – Parád, Hungary – WAGGGS was formed at this Conference
  6. 1930 – sixth World Conference – Foxlease, Hampshire, England
  7. 1932 – seventh World Conference – Bucze near Górki Wielkie, Poland
  8. 1934 – eighth World Conference – Adelboden, Switzerland
  9. 1936 – ninth World Conference – Stockholm, Sweden
  10. 1938 – tenth World Conference – Adelboden, Switzerland[3]
  11. 1946 – 11th World Conference – Evian, France
  12. 1948 – 12th World Conference – Cooperstown, New York, United States
  13. 1950 – 13th World Conference – Oxford, England
  14. 1952 – 14th World Conference – Dombås, Norway
  15. 1954 – 15th World Conference – Zeist, The Netherlands
  16. 1957 – 16th World Conference – Petrópolis, Brazil
  17. 1960 – 17th World Conference – Athens, Greece
  18. 1963 – 18th World Conference – Nyborg, Denmark
  19. 1966 – 19th World Conference – Tokyo, Japan
  20. 1969 – 20th World Conference – Otaniemi, Finland
  21. 1972 – 21st World Conference – Toronto, Canada
  22. 1975 – 22nd World Conference – Sussex, England
  23. 1978 – 23rd World Conference – Tehran, Iran
  24. 1981 – 24th World Conference – Orléans, France
  25. 1984 – 25th World Conference – Tarrytown, New York, United States
  26. 1987 – 26th World Conference – Njoro, Kenya
  27. 1990 – 27th World Conference – Singapore
  28. 1993 – 28th World Conference – Nyborg, Denmark
  29. 1996 – 29th World Conference – Wolfville, Nova Scotia Canada
  30. 1999 – 30th World Conference – Dublin, Ireland
  31. 2002 – 31st World Conference – Manila, Philippines 18–24 June
  32. 2005 – 32nd World Conference – Amman, Jordan
  33. 2008 – 33rd World Conference – Johannesburg, South Africa 6–12 July
  34. 2011 – 34th World Conference – Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom[4] 11–15 July
  35. 2014 – 35th World Conference – Hong Kong
  36. 2017 – 36th World Conference – India

15th World Conference

At the 15th World Conference it was decided to mark the centenary of the birth of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Guiding, by holding a World Camp with four locations – Doe Lake, Ontario, Canada; Quezon City, Philippines; Lac de Conche, Switzerland; and Windsor Great Park, England, from 19 January to 2 February 1957.[5]

33rd World Conference
33rd World Conference
LocationJohannesburg
CountrySouth Africa
Date2008-07-06 – 2008-07-12

The 33rd World Conference of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts was held from 6 to 12 July 2008 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was hosted by the Girl Guides Association of South Africa. It was held in the Birchwood Executive Hotel and Conference Centre. Graça Machel was the keynote speaker and received the World Citizenship Award. Over 450 delegates attended representing 144 countries.[6]

The 33rd World Conference logo combined the WAGGGS logo and the South African Guides chosen pattern.[7] The Girl Guides Association of South Africa wanted to portray their African dream and the sense of unity of all Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Ten lines within the logo symbolise the ten Laws shared by Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The three triangles symbolise the threefold Promise. The M shape symbolises the global challenges facing Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting that can be overcome through unity.

The conference's theme was "Join in, reach out, change lives".

Graça Machel was the keynote speaker. In her address, Machel spoke about her childhood and three women who had a significant impact on her life.[6] She also expressed her views on the contemporary state of women's rights.[8] Deputy President of South Africa, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, also addressed the meeting.[9]

Graça Machel was presented with the World Citizenship Award. Elspeth Henderson, the outgoing chairman of the World Board, received the WAGGGS Silver Medal, WAGGGS' highest award.

34th World Conference
34th World Conference
LocationEdinburgh
CountryScotland
Date11 July 2011 (2011-07-11)-15 July 2011 (2011-07-15)

The 34th World Conference of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) was held from 11 to 15 July 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was hosted by the Girlguiding UK and was held in the Edinburgh Conference Centre at Heriot-Watt University.[10][11] Over 390 delegates attended representing 122 member organisations.[12] It was the first WAGGGS World Conference to be held in the UK since 1975.[13]

The theme of the conference was "100 years changing lives".[14]

UN Women Deputy Director and Assistant Secretary-General, Lakshmi Puri, delivered the keynote address on the first day of the conference, focusing on issues including gender equality and domestic violence.[15]

Six new associations were officially given full member status of WAGGGS at the World Conference, Guides de la République Démocratique du Congo, Association des Scouts et Guides du Congo, the Girl Guides Association of Cambodia, the Girl Guides Association of Grenada, the Swaziland Girl Guides Association and Associazione Guide Esploratori Cattolici Sammarinesi (San Marino) were awarded 'Full Membership' on day one of the conference.[16]

35th World Conference

The Hong Kong Girl Guides Association won their bid to host the 35th World Conference. Their successful bid was announced on the final day of the 34th World Conference. The 35th World Conference took place in Hong Kong in 2014.[17]

References
  1. "World Conference". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  2. "History of WAGGGS". World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  3. Planned World Conferences scheduled to be held in 1940 and 1942 were cancelled due to World War II.
  4. "34th World Conference". World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  5. Gosling, Mike. "1957 World Camps" (PDF). SIGMAH.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  6. Serrao, Angelique (8 July 2008). "Graca Machel on women leaders". The Star. South Africa. p. 8.
  7. "33rd World Conference logo guidelines" (PDF). World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Retrieved 24 July 2007.
  8. "Girls' rights are trampled on, says Machel". The Sowetan. South Africa. 9 July 2008.
  9. "Young girls should be guided to fulfil their dreams, Mlambo-Ngcuka". BuaNews Online. 8 July 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  10. "12th Jul 2011 World Guides and Girl Scouts Conference comes to Edinburgh". News. Edinburgh Convention Bureau. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  11. "Troops on the march to city". The Scotsman. 4 August 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  12. "34th World Conference". wagggsworld.org. World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
  13. "Local news: Festival gets technical to exploit web". Edinburgh Evening News. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  14. "WAGGGS 34th World Conference". Girlguiding Scotland. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  15. Puri, Lakshmi. "World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Conference: UN Women Deputy Director Keynote Address". UN Women: Speeches. UN Women. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  16. "Tuesday 12 July 2011" (PDF). Auld Reekie (World Conference newsletter). World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  17. Bianchi, Renee. "34th World Conference – Day 5 (Friday 15 July 2011)". Guide Stories. Girl Guides Australia. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
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