Spiritual values ‘big strength’ of Girl Guides

Press, 9 November 1978, Page 24

Spiritual values ‘big strength’ of Girl Guides

The Girl Guide movement would not be as strong if it did not adhere to its spiritual values, said the executive director of the New Zealand Girl Guide Association (Miss M. A. Hopkirk). Miss Hopkirk, who is based in Christchurch, said this ideal had been emphasised more than ever at the* world Girl Guide conference in Iran, from which she re-1 turned recently.

Five hundred delegates, in-' eluding five from New Zealand, represented 94 countries at the 12-day meeting, which is held every three years.

Miss Hopkirk said the I movement, which has 8M; members throughout the ■world, combined a spiritual foundation with practical activities through which members gave service to others. In New Zealand this included helping the handicapped and the elderly. She believed young people todav strongly believed in helping others and an organisation such as the Girl Guides gave them the chance to learn how to help.

Almost 59,000 girls belonged to the movement in New Zealand and there was a waiting list of 5000. The world movement is divided into four regions: Africa. Europe, the Western Hemisphere, and Asia and the Pacific. Miss Hopkirk was elected to the AsiaPacific sub-committee at the Iran conference and will work with it to organise activities such as leadership-training courses.

Miss Hopkirk said that any! meeting which brought countries together was worthwhile. The conference had been attended by representatives from countries such as Israel and Egypt, Pakistan and India, and Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey. They had met as Guide sisters working for their members and not as political representatives of their countries. The conference was held near Teheran but because of : rioting, delegates were not allowed outside the Olympic village where they lived and held their meetings. Miss Hopkirk said this meant social functions and tours had to be cancelled.