Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement

Scouts' Day or Guides' Day is a generic term for special days observed by members of the Scouting movement throughout the year. Some of these days have religious significance, while others may be a simple celebration of Scouting. Typically, it is a day when all members of Scouting will re-affirm the Scout Promise.

[edit] Founders' Days

Worldwide in nearly all Scout associations, Founders' Day is celebrated on 22 February, the birthday of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell (born in 1857), the founder of Scouting, and coincidentally also of his wife Olave Baden-Powell (born in 1889).

Individual associations also celebrate their own founding on other dates, although these are generally restricted to "major" anniversaries, such as a decennial. Girl Scouts of the USA celebrate Founders Day on October 31, the birthday of Juliette Low.

[edit] World Thinking Day

Among Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and some boy-oriented associations (i.e. Greece, where it is called Imera Skepseos), Thinking Day is celebrated each February 22, chosen as it was the birthday of Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell and of Olave Baden-Powell.

[edit] Africa Scout Day

Africa Scout Day is a day of celebration for Scouts in Africa and is held annually on March 13. At the 62nd ordinary session of the Council of Ministers of the then OAU, (currently African Union) in Addis Ababa in 1995, a resolution was passed that Scouting in Africa must be recognized and as such the 13 March would be celebrated as Africa Scout Day.^[1]

[edit] Themes

2009: Our Africa, Our Environment: Scouts Care

[edit] St. George's Day

Portuguese Scout postcard casting Scout as modern-day St. George slaying the dragon

St. George is the patron saint of Scouting. The nearest Sunday to April 23 is observed as a celebration in some countries, for example, the United Kingdom and Spain.

Until recently in the UK, Scouting Districts would celebrate the day with a parade of the groups and sections to a church where a service is held where the Scouts re-affirm the Scout Promise.

However, it is becoming more difficult to encourage participation by the youth membership, so many Districts forego the parade and church service in place of a more family oriented day. The focus of the day is still the affirmation of the Promise by all members.

Windsor and Queen Scouts Each St. George's Day is also marked by a service in St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, which is open to all recipients of the Queen's Scout Award in the previous year.

[edit] Scout Sunday or Scout Sabbath (Boy Scouts of America)

Scouts on Scout Sunday in Philadelphia, 1949

The Boy Scouts of America have designated the Sunday preceding February 8, or February 8 if it is a Sunday, as Scout Sunday and the following Saturday is designated as Scout Sabbath. The United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA) celebrate Scout Sunday on the second Sunday of February as not to conflict with Transfiguration Sunday.

The day is meant to mark the founding of the Scouts in the United States. Observation varies by unit and locale. Scouts go to their places of worship in uniform and help with the service.

In the United States, Scouting has been used by churches, synagogues, and many other religious organizations as part of their youth ministries. Approximately 50 percent of all Scouting units are chartered to religious groups. These observances offer an opportunity for congregations to honor Scouts and Scouters, as well as to learn more themselves about the value of Scouting as a youth program. ^[2]

[edit] Girl Scout Week (Girl Scouts of the USA)

In the Girl Scouts of the USA, the equivalent holiday is Girl Scout Sunday or Girl Scout Sabbath, celebrated in Girl Scout Week the week that includes March 12, the day the the first Girl Scout troop was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Georgia in 1912.^[3]

[edit] Scout-Guide Week (Canada)

In Canada both the Guides and the Scouts celebrate Scout-Guide Week which is the week (Sunday-Sunday) in which February 22 falls (not including the first Sunday). It is often used to have joint events between the two groups.^[4]

[edit] Dates celebrated by country

[edit] See also

Scouting portal

• Religion in Scouting
• Scout Law - A Scout is reverent.
• Scouting 2007 Centenary - celebrations for 100 years of Scouting

[edit] External links

• Scout Sunday
• A Scout Is Reverent: Scout Sunday Observance
• St George Day
• St George Day
• Scout Sunday in the United States

[edit] References

1. ^ "GSA celebrate Africa Scout Day in Kumasi". The Ghanaian Journal. 2009-03-16. http://www.theghanaianjournal.com/2009/03/16/gsa-celebrate-africa-scout-day-in-kumasi/. Retrieved 2009-03-23. 
2. ^ Scout Sabbath
3. ^ "Girl Scout Days". GSUSA. http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_central/gs_days/. Retrieved 2006-12-06. 
4. ^ "Canadian Events". Scouts Canada. http://www.scouts.ca/dnn/MediaCentre/CanadianEvents/tabid/128/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2009-02-06. 
5. ^ "Liberia observes scout movement week". Liberian Broadcasting System Online. 2009-05-28. http://liberiabroadcastingsystem.com/news/article_2009_05_28_3756.html. Retrieved 2009-06-01. 
6. ^ Awang, Nela; Finaz Daniel (2007-11-12). "Her Majesty graces Girl Guides Day ceremony". The Brunei Times. http://www.bt.com.bn/en/news/2007/11/12/her_majesty_graces_girl_guides_day_ceremony. Retrieved 2009-03-29. 

• World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, World Bureau (2002), Trefoil Round the World. Eleventh Edition 1997. ISBN 0-900827-75-0