top of page

WESTERN HEMISPHERE RIGION

Short History

The Region began its work under the name Latin America Region. During the World Council in Amman, Jordan in 2012, in order to allow the integration of member associations of Anglo-Saxon origin and to unify its name with the WAGGGS Region, it was renamed the Western Hemisphere Region.
In 1968, the Bishops' Conference Celam, prepares the Medellin meeting, which will initiate a great progress of the Church and the CICG. Iccg meetings in Latin America would focus on the overarching themes of “Liberation”, the escapes from gross social inequalities and the development of the “New Man”.

Many of the ICCG´ activities targeted not just the associations´commissioners and chaplains, but also Guide leaders and even senior Guides.

In 1988, the region began to publish regional information newsletters for the associations and then pedagogical  documents on topics such as: the role of animation of the guides and chaplains, the call to build communities, guide pedagogy and faith education, among others.

equipo region hemisferio occidental.jpg

Regional Meetings

  • August 1968: Meeting of Guide leaders and Catholic Guiding instructors at the Eucharistic Congress in Bogota (Colombia). Its theme was "Guiding responds to the Populorum Progressio". Fifty-one delegates from 17 countries, including 14 Latin American countries, attended.

  • April 1970: First Latin American meeting of chaplains and Guide leaders in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Fifty participants, including 15 ecclesiastical assistants, discussed "The liberating role of any form of education".

  • October 1973: Thirty-two delegates from Bolivia, El Salvador, Costa-Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay were invited to Buenos Aires by the Guides of Argentina. Discussions focused on: "How to promote a form of Guiding that can provide the liberating education"; the characteristics of the New Man and what he signified in the reality of Latin America; the meaning of faith and aspects in which it conflicted with life in Latin America: how Girl Guiding responded to these circumstances; and a plan of action to act on the opportunities identified.

  •  January 1975: Meeting in Buenos Aires with the participation of Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil (the three ICCG member countries at that time) on the topic "Guiding colonises more than it liberates".

  • July 1976: Meeting in Montevideo (Uruguay) on "Guiding, a path of faith" in associations that were open to all denominations.

  • May 1979: Meeting in Sucre, Bolivia (Andean sub-region) with 50 participants, mainly Guide leaders and Senior Guides from Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Bolivia. The theme was "Which elements are most necessary in Latin America in order to enable people to be fulfilled and grow in their faith?"

  • November 1979: In Campinas near Sao Paolo (Southern Cone sub-region) another meeting of 50 Senior Guides and Guide leaders from Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. They met with a base community and the overarching theme was "How can the Church contribute to development through Christ's message and how can Guiding influence these groups?"

  • February 1979: A meeting scheduled to take place in Mexico (Central sub-region) did not go ahead.

  • 1981: Easter meeting in Floresta (Uruguay) for young people under the age of 23 from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

  • January 1982: Meeting for commissioners, chaplains and experienced Guide leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. They conducted cooperative research and everyone was jointly responsible for both the running of the meeting and the themes of "Living the Gospel through Education" and "Living the Gospel in Guiding".

  • 26 September - 2 October 1988: Regional meeting in Bogota at the invitation of the Guías Scouts de Colombia on "The presence of Latin American women in the Church and in society". During this meeting, the participants drew up the "Educational Project for Latin American Guides for the Year 2000".

  • July 1991: Sub-regional meeting in Buenos Aires with delegates from Girl Guide associations of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia and Peru, who further developed the ICCG Charter and reaffirmed its pedagogical approaches.

  • 1993: Meeting of national commissioners, pastoral teams and chaplains in Recife, Brazil, focusing on the challenges presented by a new text drafted by the Latin American Bishops, the Santo Domingo Document.

  •  May 1995, Buenos Aires: First Emmaus meeting for 41 leaders of Girl Guide associations from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, El Salvador and Paraguay.

  • November 1995, El Salvador: Second Emmaus meeting for 38 leaders of associations from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Belize, Guatemala and Costa Rica.

  • June 2000, Penonomé, Panama: Emmaus III training, "Paths of Reconciliation and Social Justice"

  • October 2005, Buenos Aires: Emmaus IV training seminar, "Only love can make a miracle". 25 Guide leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala and Paraguay participated.

  • September 2008, Cartago, Costa Rica: Emmaus V training, aimed at 25 adult leaders, members of teams of faith event facilitators, religious advisers and chaplains.

  • March 2012: Emmaus VI regional meeting. "Let us share the treasures of Guiding", in Bogota, for 27 participants from seven countries (Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay and Honduras).

  • October 2014: Emmaus VII regional meeting, "Keep your lamp burning", in Panama, with participants from El Salvador, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, France and Panama. Three subjects were covered by the 23 participants-the dignity of women, the Guide Law and the values of the Gospel and the Guide Promise.

Gallery

bottom of page