On this day, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts annually reaffirm their commitment to international friendship and understanding.

Outline script for assembly leaders

Some of you may be Girl Guides or Girl Scouts or have friends who are.

What you or they may not know is that they can now get an Aids badge. They can earn it by learning about the ways the illness is transmitted and spreading that information among their friends. They must also do something to fight discrimination against those living with HIVAids and learn how those people can be cared for and supported.

The Guiding movement has set up this badge because Aids affects many girls and women. Globally, more than 60 per cent of people aged 15 to 24 who are living with HIVAids are girls or women.

The difficulties they face are among the topics that Girl Guides and Girl Scouts will think about on this day.

For them this is a special day, when they give thanks for and think about the needs of sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries.

This year, they decided on a special theme: adolescent health. The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) conducted a survey on that theme in which members decided on priorities.

As a result, seven special issues are being highlighted:

* fighting Aids;

* making healthy food choices;

* preventing adolescent pregnancies;

* talking about sexual issues;

* the danger of drugs;

* banning smoking in public places;

* discovering your potential.

The Guiding movement believes every girl and young woman has the right to stay safe, healthy and wise. To achieve this, WAGGGS aims to raise pound;350,000 for projects that will help improve the well-being of young women.

The date for World Thinking Day was chosen because it was the birthday of both Lord Baden-Powell who founded the Boy Scout and Girl Guide movements and also of his wife who served as World Chief Guide. Boy Scouts mark the date as Founder’s Day.

Follow-up

* Survey the assembly, school or year group. What percentage thinks each of the seven priorities is important or vital? Present the findings in graphical format.

* World Thinking Day: www.wagggsworld.orgennews190

* Adolescent health survey: www.wagggs.orgenissuesadolescent_health