World Thinking Day

Hello Everyone \n\n Once again, I want to start by saying how much I appreciate your beautiful words and personal messages following my posts. You are all very kind and I am so happy to hear that my little brain dumps are appreciated – it gives me a lot of confidence to keep sharing. \n\n I did ponder what to write about and share with you this week… the idea came to me on Tuesday evening after speaking to my son, while he was studiously working on an essay he had to submit for his Ethics subject and grumbling about the work he had to do. \n\n So, let me begin…\n\n February is mostly known for Valentine’s Day. 14th February is a day that is recognised by all, annually, everywhere. And though some people claim to not celebrate the day or agree with the big fuss Valentines Day is associated with, I have never met anyone, who has not heard of the day and what it stands for, or has not got an opinion about it – good or bad, or makes an effort to consciously ignore it or of course, make plans to celebrate it. \n\n Yet, nobody ever talks about out 22nd February. Do you? \n\n 22nd February is declared as World Thinking Day. It is observed annually as the day that provides an opportunity to speak out on issues that affect young women. I have to shamefully admit that I did not know that until my 13-year old son told me about his Ethics project! \n\n World Thinking Day has been observed since 1926 and is celebrated as a day of international friendship. It is a time to stand up for causes that could improve the lives of girls and young women across the globe. \n\n World Thinking Day celebrates sisterhood, friendship, and women\'s empowerment, while also serving as a platform to address the challenges and issues affecting girls and women worldwide. Organized by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), this day offers an opportunity for members to come together, share their experiences, and advocate for positive change. \n\n Through discussions and activities, participants can raise awareness about the various obstacles and inequalities that girls and women encounter, including access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and gender-based violence. By shining a light on these issues, World Thinking Day encourages dialogue and collaboration to develop solutions and strategies for empowerment and advancement. \n\n Now, I am not a scout and probably most of you on here are not either...but so what? \n\n Being part of this community, is a pretty good start and a great way to celebrate all of us, all of what we stand for, all of the things we each bring and all of our voices – big or small. \n\n I feel proud to be part of a group that helps towards the celebration of building solidarity and reinforcing the importance of supporting and uplifting one another. We need each other to emphasize our strength and resilience that comes from collective action and encourages individuals to take an active role in promoting certain things that continuously go ‘unnoticed’ or are part of daily life and hence become accepted. \n\n With our voice and the presence of the Women’s Network, I feel that we serve as each other’s reminder of the importance of fostering a world where every woman, every gender, every person can thrive and fulfil their potential. We hopefully encourage each other and all of us, to reflect on creating a more inclusive and equitable environment, as well as take action to effect positive change in our workplace, in our communities and beyond. \n\n So, I will close with saying thank you for allowing me to share my weekly thoughts and for helping me to feel safe to keep communicating this way. \n\n "Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." Henry Ford