World Scout Day and World Thinking Day – 22nd February

World Scout Day is observed on February 22nd by all Scout associations worldwide as it was its Founders Day. The birthday of Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell (born in 1857), and also his wife Olave Baden-Powell was born on February 22nd.

Robert Baden-Powell becomes a national hero during the Siege of Mafeking. The grave of Baden Powell in Kenya has become a pilgrimage site. Scouting family takes a pilgrimage to Baden-Powell’s grave in Kenya.

February 22, the joint birthday of Robert and Olave Baden-Powell, is marked as Founder’s Day by Scouts and Thinking Day by Guides to remember and celebrate the work of the Chief Scout and Chief Guide of the World.

The Beginning of Scout

Baden-Powell set to work rewriting Aids to Scouting, this time for a younger readership. In 1907 he held an experimental camp on Brownsea Island, Poole, Dorset, to try out his ideas. He brought together 22 boys, some from public schools and some from working-class homes, and put them into camp under his leadership. The whole world now knows the results of that camp.

‘Scouting for Boys’ was published in 1908 in six fortnightly parts at 4d a copy. Sales of the book were tremendous. Boys formed themselves into Scout Patrols to try out ideas. What had been intended as a training aid for existing organizations became the handbook of a new and, ultimately worldwide Movement. B.-P.’s great understanding of boys obviously touched something fundamental in the youth of this and other countries. ‘Scouting for Boys’ has since been translated into many different languages and dialects.

Without fuss, without ceremony and completely spontaneously, boys began to form Scout Troops all over the country. In September 1908, B.-P. had set up an office to deal with the large number of inquiries that were pouring in concerning the Movement. There is no need to describe the way in which Scouting spread throughout the British Commonwealth and to other countries until it was established in practically all parts of the free world. Even those countries where Scouting as we know it is not allowed to exist readily, admit that they used its methods for their own youth training.

The first international Scout Jamboree took place at Olympia, London in 1920. At its closing scene, B.-P. was unanimously acclaimed as Chief Scout of the World. Successive international gatherings, whether of Scouts or Rovers (now called Venture Scouts) or of Scouters, proved that this was not an honorary title, but that he was truly regarded by them all as their Chief.

In 1929, during the third World Scout Jamboree, he received as a present a new car, which happened to be a Rolls-Royce. This car was soon nicknamed Jam-Roll. He also received an Eccles Caravan, which was nicknamed Eccles Cake, so the Scouts attending the event were treated with a Jam-Roll towing an Eccles Cake. This combination well served the Baden-Powells in their further travels around Europe. Baden-Powell also had a positive impact on improvements in youth education.

Under his dedicated command, the world Scouting movement grew. By 1922 there were more than a million Scouts in 32 countries; by 1939 the number of Scouts was in excess of 3.3 million.

World thinking Day

22nd February is also celebrated as World Thinking Day by Boy Scouts and Girl Guides / Girl Scouts, and World Association of girl guides and girl scouts (WAGGGS) worldwide. February 22nd is the shared birthday of the founders of Scouting and Guiding – Lord and Lady Baden-Powell – and is commemorated as Thinking Day in the Girl Guide / Girls Scout world and Founder’s Day in the Boy Scout world.

A day of friendship where Guides and Girl Scouts put equality and inclusion into practice and fundraising for over 10 million girls around the world. World thinking day is marked to celebrate scouts all over the world. It is an opportunity to speak out on issues that affect young women and fundraise for 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 150 countries.

The theme for World Thinking Day 2024 is “Our World, Our Thriving Future: The Environment and Global Poverty“, and we’re sharing some ways you and your troop can get in on the action to celebrate.

Troops can learn about World Centers in different countries.
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Have your troop learn about the WAGGGS pin’s meaning and present it to the girls if they do not already have one.
Explore Pinterest – there are a ton of crafts, games, and other activities to support girls and troops to learn about different countries – search World Thinking Day Activities.
Girl Scout Council has an excellent toolkit for planning World Thinking Day events. It could come in handy, especially if a few troops or a service team want to put together an event last minute. Even though Thinking Day is on the calendar for Feb. 22 – groups can celebrate it around that time on a weekend.