Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah, the President of the Brunei Darussalam Girl Guides Association (PPPBD), and HRH Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah yesterday graced the World Thinking Day 2012 celebration at PPPBD headquarters in Kg Anggerek Desa.

With the theme 'Together We Can Save Our Planet', the event was celebrated by PPPBD and members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

An annual event, it has the objectives of inculcating appreciative attitudes and preserving the environment, advising members to always remember in looking after the environment and encourage its members to be creative and pro-active in participating in the writing opinion competition.

Yesterday's event saw the broadcasting of World Thinking Day video message by Nadine El Achy, the chairman of WAGGGS who said the association is placing girls and young women at the very heart of its effort to save our planet.

"We've developed a number of non-formal education programmes on environmental sustainability to help inform girls and young women about climate change. And since 2009, we've taken a youth delegation to United Nations Annual Climate Change Conference."

She added that many of the organisations have been supporting and empowering girls and young women to learn about the environment and take action against climate change for many years with projects ranging from cleaning up affected communities hit by natural disasters to running advocacy campaigns of recycling benefits.

"We want to offer more opportunities like these to girls and young women. We need your support to do this. World Thinking Day is a time to think about our sisters around the world and raise funds towards the development of the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting movements."

Unfortunately, women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change of devastating effects where they have to walk further when water runs out and during food shortages their health is more likely to worsen than that of men due to gender inequality.

She further highlighted that the future of the world lies in the hands of young people especially girls and young women and they firmly believe girls and young women must be at the centre of all policy and programme developments to ensure the environment's future.

This year, focus is put on five more countries namely Guyana, Russia, Ivory Coast, Japan and Tunisia, where girl guiding and scouting support girls and young women have a long-term and beneficial impact in their communities.

"Your contributions to the World Thinking Day fund are invaluable and your participation in activities on the day each year unites you with 10 million girls and young women in our global movement."

She added that there are lots of ways for them to be involved, from sending an environmental e-card to doing the World Thinking Day badge and reminded members to let WAGGGS know how they celebrate to share them with other girl guides and girl scouts around the world.

HRH Princess Hajah Rashidah also presented prizes to winners of the different categories in this year's theme 'We Can Save Our Planet' Slogan Writing competition.

Their Royal Highnesses also toured a mini exhibition set up at the event and signed one of the many World Thinking Day messages from WAGGGS.

The exhibition amongst all featured many slogans as well as a food stall at the World Thinking Day fund corner where members and guests could purchase any of the items and drop the money into the fund box set up at the stall. - Borneo Bulletin (26 March 2012)