World Conference

orld Conference (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts)
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This article is about the global governing body of the Girl Guides. For other groups known as the World Conference, see World Conference (disambiguation).
The World Conference is the governing body of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and meets every three years. If a country has more than one association, the associations form a federation for coordination and world representation.

As the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting movement spread, independent national Guiding associations were set up; however, a need for international cooperation was felt. Lady Baden-Powell founded an informal International Council in London in February 1918. In 1920, two leaders from each known Guide country were invited to the British County Commissioners Conference held at Saint Hugh's College, Oxford. This became known as the First International Conference. The 13th World Conference was held in the same college in 1950. The member organizations continue to meet every three years (initially every two years) at World Conferences.[1]

At the fourth World Conference held at Camp Edith Macy in 1926, representatives from several countries suggested the formation of a World Association to take the place of the informal International Council. After the 1926 International Conference the Baden-Powells were approached about setting up a formal association and in 1928 the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts was founded at the 5th International Conference held in Parád, Hungary.[2] Rose Kerr was Vice Chairman, later Commissioner for Tenderfoot Countries.