World conference of girl guides, scouts begins

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, September 18

India for the first time is hosting the 36th World Conference of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) which began today in the national Capital.

About 700 delegates from 146 countries around the world are participating in the five-day conference which was inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Zubin Irani. National president of the Bharat Scouts and Guides, Dr Anil Kumar Jain presided over the inaugural session of the conference.

Irani said the WAGGGS is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only guiding and sscouting organisations in 146 countries.

She said the mission of the WAGGGS is to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world.

The Bharat Scouts and Guides is implementing various WAGGGS projects, including Free-being-Me (body confidence of the girl and young women), Stop The Violence (violence against women), Surf Smart (Internet safety programmes) and Hand Wash (health and hygiene) in various parts of the country, said the minister while adding that these projects are the major steps towards women empowerment in the country.

According to chief national commissioner of the Bharat Scouts and Guides, Dr KK Khandelwal, India is a land of oldest tradition of republics and the country that produces third largest number of doctors, engineers, IT professionals and scientists serving mankind globally. Nicola Grinstead, chairperson of the WAGGGS and Craig Turpi, chairperson of WOSM were among others present on the occasion.