Learning about environmental protection is crucial for fostering a sustainable lifestyle, therefore, there is a need to educate youngsters about its importance.
To teach young girls about the significance of environmental protection, the Pakistan Girl Guides Association celebrated World Thinking Day at its National Headquarters the other day. The theme of the Day was “Our World, Our Thriving Future – the Environment and Global Poverty”. More than 300 girls between the ages of six and 21 years took part in the event.
World Thinking Day was first celebrated in 1926 at the fourth Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy (now called Edith Macy Conference Centre).
At the event, the girls had the opportunity to experience enjoyable activities and learn to protect the environment in a fun way. The programme included some indoor and some outdoor activities regarding environmental protection. Some games were also part of the event.
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A painting competition, in relevance to the upcoming World TB Day, was also organised in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). “Yes, we can end the TB” is the theme of World TB Day for 2024. Sub-themes for the poster competition were “Breaking the Chains of TB Stigma: Empowering Women” and “TB ki Alamat (symptoms), bachao (TB prevention), aur elaaj (treatment)”.
Dr Razia Kaniz Fatima National Coordinator, Common Management Unit for TB, HIV/AIDS, and Malaria was the chief guest while Maria Maud Sabri, National Commissioner of the Pakistan Girl Guides Association welcomed her and the guests. She briefed them about the theme of the day and informed them about the Guides’ efforts to protect the environment.
Dr Fatima informed the participants that climate change and global warming are causing great damage and adversely affecting life but women and children are at greater risk in every disaster. Addressing the Guides, she said that as a youth the first thing is to understand how human behaviour affects life on the planet, how every form of life is interconnected, and what changes in our behaviour are vital for assuring a better future for all life on this planet.
She also briefed about the Guides’ work regarding the awareness and prevention of TB and the badge curriculum developed in collaboration with the WHO. “Pakistan is the fifth country with the highest numbers of TB patients. Young people, especially Girl Guides can do a lot to improve the situation.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 24th, 2024.
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