- Union of International Associations

Transcription

(former title • INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
31th year
UIAs periodical celebrates its 3 lt h anniversary in 1979, having
changed its name from « International Associations » to « Transnational Associations» in 1977, in order to reflect the transnational nature of nonprofit associations (INGOs) by using more
appropriate terminology. Our informed readers will have appreciated our intention to give a good example of conceptual
clarity.
The purpose of « Transnational Associations » is to present significant contributions to understanding about the structure and
functioning of the complex network of international organizations. The main concern is to focus attention on the roles and
problems of the wide variety of transnational associations
(NGOs : international nongovernmental, nonprofit organizations)
in the international community. In this sense - Transnational
Associations » is the periodical of transnational associations and
those interested in them. It therefore includes news, studies, statistics, activity and meeting information, as well as
articles. The articles range from descriptions of individual organizations to academic investigation of groups of organizations
and their problems. The focus of the selected articles is less on
the substantive world problems on which they may act (which are
extensively examined in other periodicals) and more on the present methods of international action and future alternatives
which can usefully be envisaged and discussed. Related themes
regularly treated are : relationship of NGOs to intergovernmental organizations, techniques of meeting organization, international information systems, multinational enterprises.
The readership therefore includes : international association
executives, intergovernmental organization executives, scholars
of the sociologe of international action, organizers of international meetings, commercial organizations offering services to
international bodies, and others interested in the activities of the
whole range of international organizations.
- Transnational Associations - is the organ of the nonprofit
Union of International Associations, although the views expressed
are not necessarily those of the U I A .
(ancien titre : ASSOCIATIONS INTERNATIONALES)
31e année
En 1979 la revue entre dans sa 31e année.
L'année 1977 a vu le changement de titre de notre Revue « Associations Transnationales » au lieu d' « Associations internationales ».
Le fait transnational des associations non lucratives (OING) le
voulant ainsi, nos lecteurs n'ont pas été surpris que nous donnions le bon exemple d'un langage clair.
La raison principale d'« Associations Transnationales » est d'apporter sa contribution à la vie et au développement du réseau
complexe des associations, dans ses structures comme dans son
fonctionnement.
Le premier souci d' « Associations Transnationales . est de fixer
l'attention sur les tâches et les problèmes d'un large éventai! d'associations transnationales sans but lucratif — les organisations
dites non-gouvernementales dans la terminologie des Nations
Unies. En ce sens « Associations Transnationales » est la tribune
des associations transnationales et de tous ceux qui s'y intéressent.
Cette revue mensuelle contient des nouvelles, des études, des
statistiques, des informations spécifiques sur les activités des
associations, leurs congrès, leurs réunions. Aussi des articles,
des chroniques ayant trait aux problèmes et aux intérêts communs aux associations.
Le sujet des articles choisis s'attache surtout à la méthode de
l'organisation internationale considérée notamment dans ses
rapports avec le secteur privé des associations et dans la perspective des adaptations nécessaires aux temps nouveaux, plutôt
qu'au fond des problèmes, qui sont le propre de chaque groupement et traités ailleurs dans des revues générales ou specialisées.
Nos thèmes habituels sont les relations,des ONG avec les organisations intergouvemementales, les techniques de l'organisation
internationale, les systèmes d'information internationale, outre
les enterprises multinationales.
« Associations Transnationales » est l'organe de lÚ A I , associasoient pas nécessairement celles de cet Institut.
TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS : 31th year. 1979
ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES: 31e année. 1979
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Copyright 1979 UAI
ISSN-0020-6059
Views expressed in the articles whether signed or not, do not necessarily reflect those
of the UAI
Boulevard Haussmann, 6-8 (C.C.P. de la Banque n° 170.09).
Copyright 1979 UAI
ISSN-0020-6059
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TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS. 1-2 1979
1
Sommaire /Contents
UNION DES ASSOCIATIONS
INTERNATIONALES
UNION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
COMITE DE DIRECTION
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Président :
Président :
FA CASADIO. Directeur. Societa ltaliana per
lÓrganizzazione Internationale (Italie)
Vice-Présidents:
Vice-Presidents :
Mohamed AIi RIFAAT (A.R.E.)
Former Secretary-General of the Afro-Asian Organisation for Economic Cooperation.
S.K. SAXENA (India)
Director of the International Coopérative Alliance
Trésorier Général :
Treasurer General :
Paul E. HIERNAUX (Belgique)
Président de la Conférence Permanente des
Chambres de Commerce et d'Industrie de la Communaute Economique Européenne
Membres:
Members:
F.W.G. BAKER (U.K.)
Executive Secretary,
Scientific Unions.
International Council Of
Luis G. de SEVILLA (Mexique)
Président Doyen de l'Académie mexicaine de Droit
international.
Mahmoud FOROUGHI (Iran)
Ambassadeur. Directeur de l'Institut des Affaires
internationales au Ministère des Affaires etrangères dÍran
Johan GALTUNG (Norvège)
Director. Goals Processus and Indicators Project.
United Nations University.
Nikola A. KOVALSKY (URSS)
Directeur adjoint de l'Institut du Mouvement
Ouvrier International de l'Académie des Sciences
de l'URSS.
Marcel MERLE (France)
Jef RENS (Belgique)
Président du Conseil National du Travail.
janvier-février
january-february
1979 no 1-2
Editorial : Le levier d'Archimède
4
Rally public opinion by Jean Ripert
Commentary: Mobilization of public opinion
The role of NGO's in International development
co-operation by David Horton Smith
Forum Mondial 1980 : Dossier historique
L'UAl,
ses
origines,
ses
œuvres par G.P. Speeckaert
19
buts,
ses
premières
Invitation, ordre du jour, programme permanent
du congrès mondial des associations
internationales de 1910
Jean-Marie Bressand
30
Hong Kong as a meeting place by A.B. Chalkley and
I.B. lldefonso
33
Congressalia : International Congresses in 1977
Congrès internationaux en 1977
47
First supplement to the Annual International Congress
Calendar 19th edition 1979
53
Secretary-General :
Cover Photo
« ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES »
« TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS»
Redaction/Editorial
27
La Fédération Mondiale des Villes Jumelées par
Andrew E. RICE (U.S.A.)
Executive Secretary of the Society for International
Development.
Secrétaire Général :
Robert FENAUX (Belgique)
Ambassadeur honoraire.
20
22
View of Hong Kong Island (foreground) and the Kowloon Peninsula across the waters.
Dominating the Island skyline is the Connaught Centre the tallest building in Hong Kong's Central District, To the right
are the Causeway Bay and North Point Districts.
Robert FENAUX
Georges Patrick SPEECKAERT
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TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, 1-2 1979
3
Le réseau transnational
des forces associatives
Editorial
LE LEVIER D'ARCHIMEDE
Le plus grand géomètre de l'Antiquité
nous semble de bonne référence pour
une réflexion sur le mouvement associatif
mondial et cela à deux titres au moins.
Archiméde fut en effet le premier à donner une méthode permettant d'approcher
les problèmes du cercle, le premier surtout à établir la théorie du levier, ne demandant qu'« un point d'appui pour soulever le monde ».
La société des associations internationales faisait, à l'origine, figure de cercle
dont tous les points paraissaient les projections d'un centre moteur situé en Occident, en Europe plus précisément, pour
des raisons d'histoire politique et de géographie économique, à un moment donné de l'évolution de l'humanité. La diplomatie classique d'Etat rayonna longtemps d'une civilisation ainsi circonscrite
qui se voulait universelle, sous diverses
impulsions, tantôt désintéressées, sous
la forme de mouvements spirituels, idéologiques, humanitaires, tantôt égoïstes,
à des fins d'ambition ou d'intérêt, mais en
définitive les unes et les autres génératrices de solidarités et de progrés.
L'avènement de l'organisation internationale, qui apparaîtra aux historiens de
l'avenir comme une grande date des
temps contemporains, a déplacé les ambitions et les intérêts, plutôt qu'elle ne
les a pâlis. Mais ce déplacement a du
moins décentralisé le système international en ouvrant de multiples frontières.
En un certain sens, le cercle est devenu
réseau.
Dira-t-on qu'apparemment les puissances politiques ou économiques ne se
sont pas encore rendues à cette réalité ?
Le fait est néanmoins acquis déjà que le
centre ne commande plus comme avant
et ne dispose plus souverainement à ses
convenances.
S'agissant des associations non-gouvernementales, le réseau tend à « ce continent sans territoire » tracé par Johan
Galtung, « le sixième continent en rapide
expansion des organisations internationales et transnationales ». Une surface
humaine, un espace interdépendant sans
autres frontières que celles de la juridic-
4
ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES. 1-2 1979.
tion universelle ou régionale des organisations. Nous touchons ici à l'objet de
notre Forum de 1980 intitulé: « De l'international au transnational ».
On trouvera infra, dans ce numéro de
notre Revue, un dossier de documents
éclairant le chemin parcouru d'un bout du
siècle à l'autre depuis le premier Congrès mondial des associations internationales organisé par l'UAI en 1910, notamment de larges extraits de l'historique
des activités de l'UAI, publié en 1970 par
Georges Patrick Speeckaert. lors du
60ême anniversaire de notre Institut.
A la lecture de ces documents, on ressentira avec G.P. Speeckaert « le rôle assez extraordinaire joué par l'UAI pendant
une période qui marquera l'histoire, celle
de l'organisation initiale d'une civilisation
nouvelle basée sur les institutions internationales »,
Cependant, au regard du grand dessein
qu'avaient conçu nos pères fondateurs,
celui d'une double société, l'organisation
territoriale des Etats d'une part, et, de
l'autre, l'organisation spécialisée des associations internationales, on éprouvera
aussi le sentiment d'une ambition inachevée,
d'un
édifice
incomplet.
C'était peut-être un rêve, plus probablement une anticipation d'imaginer à l'époque, deux systèmes d'organisation, l'un
des intérêts des Etats nationaux, l'autre
des intérêts de la société universelle, et
leur convergence vers une organisation
mondiale unique qui donnerait a chacun
une part proportionnelle de représentation et de pouvoir. Mais il est réel qu'on
n'a pas donné à la société des associations internationales la part d'influence et
de responsabilité qui lui revient, dans
l'intérêt général.
Une première étape ayant été accomplie
avec l'institution de l'organisation internationale des Etats, l'itinéraire doit maintenant mener plus loin, à une véritable
participation du réseau associatif à l'ordre mondial, étant admis que le statut consultatif, sous ses formes actuelles, a en
quelque
sorte
valeur expérimentale.
La préparation de notre Forum de 1980
établira les raisons et les conditions de
cette participation nécessaire de l'uni-
Le réseau transnational des forces associations
vers des forces transnationales. Des forces volontaires de la société considérée
dans toutes ses activités démocratiques
d'initiative privée, de génie individuel,
d'imagination créatrice: des forces de développement dans l'immense étendue de
la science et de la technique; des forces
de promotion humaine; des forces de foi,
d'idées et d'opinions. Autrement dit. par
rapport aux Etats et à l'organisation interetatique, des groupes de pression
morale et sociale dans le sens le plus
respectable du mot et plus généralement
parlant des groupes de service ou de
collaboration.
Quel point d'appui que cet univers d'organisations non-gouvernementales ! Et,
pariant comme Archimède, quel levier
pour soulever un monde au-dessus de
ses injustices, de ses misères et de ses
angoisses !
S'en est-on assez avisé du côté de la
fonction internationale, là où l'on sait le
mieux, d'action quotidienne, ce que les
programmes de l'organisation, tous les
programmes sans exception, doivent aux
concours des associations?
Nous avons sous les yeux le numéro de
Oêcembre 1978 du périodique des Na-
tions-Unies « Forum du Développe »
ment ». On peut y lire en épigraphe cet
avis de M. Kurt Waldheim : « II est désormais évident que, sans l'appui de l'opinion publique mondiale, nous ne pouvons
écarter les menaces que font peser sur
notre survie les dépenses excessives
consacrées aux armements, la répartition
inéquitable des ressources, l'accroissement démographique et la dégradation
de l'environnement ». C'est en effet l'évidence même. M. le Secrétaire Général,
mais « l'opinion » vaguement désignée à
la cantonade est chose abstraite. Le concret, c'est l'opinion organisée, encadrée,
structurée en un réseau transnational
d'associations amplement représentatives de l'ensemble des intérêts humains
et sociaux.
En « leader » du même périodique, un important article de M. Jean Ripert, Secrétaire Général adjoint des Nations-Unies,
chargé du Département des Affaires économiques et sociales, intitule « Pour le
développement, mobiliser l'opinion », où
il est question des « réseaux d'information » mats en revanche pas un mot des
réseaux d'ONG. Quelle lacune, en vérité,
Monsieur le Secrétaire Général adjoint,
Où nous ne voulons voir qu'un oubli ou
une intention implicite (*). Car combien le
Développement recherché aura plus à
gagner d'une mobilisation mondiale des
associations élues à une véritable participation.
L'idée nous vient, au fil de la plume, en
écrivant cet editorial, de publier un tableau d'honneur de l'action non-gouvernementale et d'y citer la conclusion d'une
excellente allocution de bienvenue du
porte-parole du BIT, M. Francis Wolf, lors
de la Conférence des ONG réunie l'été
dernier à Genève pour l'action contre
l'Apartheid: «Au-delà de ce qu'entreprend notre organisation (l'OIT). de ce
qu'èdifient toutes les organisations (les
OIG) il s'impose - simultanément - plus
que jamais, face aux périls qui guettent le
monde, une mobilisation lucide, raisonnée et déterminée de chacun. Le rôle des
organisations
non-gouvernementales
est capital ».
Bruxelles 1980 sera le lieu et le temps
d'en faire la preuve, avec éclat.
Robert FENAUX
(*) La version anglaise de l'article de M. Ripert. parue
dans le n° de novembre-décembre de - Development
Judge.
5
Rally public opinion
by Jean Ripert*
The drive toward world development and a
better economic aorder has made little
headway in
the present decade. The mobilization of public
opinion as an essential element in the effort
has
not been very succeful either. Nevertheless, the
aproach was right, says UN Under-Secreary -General Jean Ripert, and a more massive
mobilization is indispensable.
For a comment on the subject of this article, see this issue, pages 8-14.
See also pages 15-19 concerning the
role of USA NGOs, for example.
Developing countries have demanded a
reform of the international economic system so that it become more efficient and
more equitable. This call for a new international economic order has made hardly
any headway since its formulation, in
spite of the pledges given at the sixth
and seventh special sessions of the General Assembly. Thus, international society faces the last quarter of the century
without any clear perspectives and with
no sign of a determined will to achieve international co-operation. This situation is
dangerous
and
must
change.
It is of the utmost importance that the negotiations taking place at the end of this
year and during 1979 provide an impetus
for the North-South dialogue. At the
same time, preparations will begin for the
General Assembly special session devoted to development which will take place
in May 1980. The session will have to assess progress in establishing the NIEO
and adopt an international development
strategy for the 1980s. Therefore, the decisions which are taken during the next
two years will have a decisive influence
on world development from now until the
end of the century,
A growing interdependence of economies
and societies will provide the setting for
these decisions. This interdependence is
Mobilization of public opinion
(from the International Development Strategy. Paragraph 84. 1970)
« An essential part of trie work during the Decade will consist of the mobilization of
public opinion in both developing and developed countries in support of the objectives and policies for the Decade. Governments of the more advanced countries will
continue and intensify their endeavour to deepen public understanding of the interdependent nature of the development efforts during the Decade - in particular of
the benefits accruing to them from international co-operation for development and of the need to assist the developing countries in accelerating their economic
and social progress. The efforts which developing countries themselves are making
to meet the requirements of their economic and social progress need to be more
clearly and more generally made known in developed countries. Similarly, Governments of the developing countries will continue to make people at all levels aware
of the benefits and sacrifices involved and to enlist their full participation in achieving the objectives of the Decade. The mobilization of public opinion has to be the
responsibility mainly of national bodies. Governments may give consideration to the
establishment of new national bodies or to strengthening the existing ones designed to mobilize public opinion, and. as a long-term measure, to give increasing
development orientation to the educational curricula. Considering that leadership
can make a significant contribution to the mobilization of public opinion, the formulation of concrete aims by the competent authorities is indispensable. The role of
the organizations of the United Nations system will be to assist the various national
information media, in particular by supplying adequate basic information from which
these media may draw both substance and inspiration for their work. There is also
an urgent need for increasingly co-ordinating the information activities already being undertaken by many organizations within the United Nations system. The information stemming from international sources will be aimed primarily at strenghtening the sense of interdependence and partnership implicit in the concept of the Decade. -
a living reality and its consequences, as
well as its essential character, are still
misunderstood, especially in the developed countries. The close commercial, financial, monetary and technological ties
that exist between individual economies
render them susceptible to any changes
in the economies of their partners and
oblige them to take into account the effects of their own choices on these ties.
Even though the existence of these ties
has been strengthened by trade development it should not be forgotten that inequality and unacceptable dependency
persist. The working rules of international
economy, conceived in a different context, have proved to be unadaptable to
these new conditions and will have to be
renewed.
In order to evolve common development
goals for a truly global world economy,
the existing interdependence must be
managed and the structures of the international system must be reformed. These
common goals should relate to the fight
against poverty, increased efforts at solidarity, world economy management specifically of the planet's non-renewable resources - and the use of all the
possibilities offered by science and technology.
These debates and responsibility of governments and it is they who must show
the necessary political will if the forthcoming negotiations are to progress. But
governments do not act alone. They reflect both the state of pubic opinion and
the economic and social situation in their
countries. They can appeal to public
opinion, presenting the problems and the
available options and. if necessary, they
can make it accept the costs and restrictions that certain policies imply. This reel Jean Ripert is the United Nations Under-SecretaryGeneral in charge of the Department of International
Economic and Social Affairs.
The article is reproduced from Development Forum
Nov-Dec 1978.
6
ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES. 1-2
1979.
sponsibility is shared by the media which.
as necessary intermediaries between
world events and public opinion, have a
capacity to diffuse ideas on a wide scale
and
to
present
current
problems.
In the developed countries the media.
therefore, have a central role to play in
creating a favourable climate for development questions and in promoting a better
idea of the global dimension of the problems.
In these countries, the media have at
their disposal powerful networks which
diffuse vast amounts of information and
contribute in an important way in forming
public opinion. Therefore, by giving more
prominence to the presentation and discussion of these problems, they can provide public opinion with a great deal of information necessary for a better understanding of the ties that exist between
economies and people. It should be feasible, using an analysis of concrete situations, to show each social group the following : the impact of its own level of consumption on the world's available resources; the consequences of NorthSouth relations on employment prospects and revenue; and the many ways
that increased solidarity manifests itself
among societies, in addition, adjustment
policies which are necessary within the
developed countries, their cost, and the
developed countries, their cost, and the
difficulties that they present will be more
easily accepted if their importance and
longterm advantages are understood.
The media are therefore one of the principal instruments for a general educational
initiative in all developed countries. The
educational system and non-governmental organizations which relay new ideas
to the public should also contribute. The
new dimensions of the problems necessitate a change in the way many sectors of
society in industrialized countries view
the world. Such an evolution will require
time and sustained action from all those
responsible for information. The remarkable work which has been achieved
over the past few decades in countries
like Sweden and the Netherlands shows
that a change is possible and that it does
affect
public
decisions.
There are many who regret that worldwide information networks are mainly
controlled by the developed countries
and that information concerning other
developing countries reaches them only
via those who do not clearly understand
their problems and pay them little attention. The strengthening of information
channels and the exchange of information between developing countries can
be a very important element in their cooperation and a necessary support to their
policies of collective self-sufficiency.
Their systematic use of media, particularly in the audio-visual field, could release
an immense potential for the training and
mobilization of human resources in these
countries. A far greater number of people
would have access to simple, directly obtainable information which would help
them not only use new techniques but
also adapt to different conditions of existence which the development process
will
inevitably
provoke.
Finally, the international organizations
will continue their action for development
in a wide variety of areas. This work - the
essential part of the UN specialized agencies' activities - is sometimes less well
known than that which is accomplished
on the political side at UN headquarters
but. likewise, it is dependent on the will of
the governments from which the organization itself derives. The usefulness of
this work will therefore be even greater if
co-operation between governments is
pushed further and if the current and
forthcoming
North-Soud
negotiations
produce
concrete
results.
The historical experience of developed
countries shows that the development
process comes about by the mobilization
of all the resources of a country. For this
to happen, important changes involving
entire generations are necessary. An international strategy whose primary objective is to promote the development of
the most seriously affected countries
should thus be based on a mobilization
effort at every level. At the global level,
such a strategy should appeal for an
awareness of planetary solidarity, for the
urgency of development tasks and for a
will to act together on the part of all
countries.
The development process will demand
that those countries so committed will
put all their human and material resources into a massive mobilization effort.
The importance of this mobilization was
already underlined in paragraph 84 of the
International Development Strategy for
the Second Development Decade. We
are forced to accept that mobilization has
not been very successful. But the experiments carried out in a great number of
developed
and
developing
countries
have shown the way and have clearly
established that the approach in paragraph 84 was right and that it was one of
the principal conditions of development.
7
Mobilization of public opinion
- yesterday's response to today's problems
Introduction
Development Forum (published by the
UN Centre for Economic and Social Information/OPI) in its latest issue (November-December 19781 reproduces a text
by Jean Ripert, Under-Secretary-General
in charge of the Department of International Economic and Social Affairs. The
editors introduce the text (reproduced in
this issue on pages 123-456) with the
paragraph :
« The drive toward world development
and a better economic order has made
little headway in the present decade. The
mobilization of public opinion as an essential element in the effort has not been
very successful either. Nevertheless, the
approach was right, says UN Under-Secretary-General Jean Ripert, and a more
massive mobilization is indispensable ».
But was the approach right? How is it
possible to be so sure ? The current policy has been in force since the beginning
of the First Development Decade and the
world situation has deteriorated significantly since that time with many warnings of much worse to come in the very
near future.
And in that same issue of Development
Forum, there are a few small symptoms
of the inconsistencies underlying Jean
Ripert's text. The editors have titled it
« Rally public opinion » in English whilst
leaving il as « Mobiliser l'opinion » in
French. Is « mobilization » now inappropriate to an English-speaking audience
and, if so, why ? The emphasis is on the
media with a single passing reference to
« nongovernmental organizations which
relay new ideas to the public should also
contribute ». For a body which is usually
meticulous about translation, this phrase
appears in French, without mentioning
nongovernmental organizations (a UNterm), as « doivent également contribuer
conjointement... les groupes qui servent
de relais pour la diffusion d'idées nouvelles dans l'opinion publique (partis politiques, Eglises, associations laïques
d'entr'aide et d'animation, universités et
institutions
de
recherche,
etc.)
»
Clearly international NGOs play no part
in this scheme, and the national ones are
seen as passive relays for the « new ideas » generated by the United Nations.
(Why should the UN play on the ambiguities of terms which it itself has created ?). And yet in the same issue in the
NGO Forum section (which is omitted
8
from the French version) appears a text
which stresses the importance of the
nongovernmental organizations. It is reproduced as an insert on this page. And finally there appears a note (also absent
from the much shorter French version) to
the effect that « Development Forum regrets that due to financial difficulties the
previously announced 11 editions of this
year have been reduced to 10 ».
Those responsible within the UN system
for « mobilizing public opinion » have for
too many years conveyed the impression
that their approach was the correct one
and completely justified the resources
which have been channelled into their
activities. And yet their results fail completely to match their rhetoric. Perhaps
their financial difficulties will encourage a
healthy re-examination of their whole
philosophy. As it is one is forced into a
sense of déjà vue. Some five years ago,
this same sense of « deja vue » was provoked by the UN Secretary General's
own review and appraisal of the « Dissemination of information and mobilization of public opinion relative to problems
of development ». It seems therefore appropriate, much as it is to be regretted,
that our text analyzing that report and its
context should be reproduced to counter-balance the unchanged emphasis reflected in Jean Ripert's article on the matter. At that time the article below appeared under the heading « Mobilization
for alientation versus Catalysis for participation; the critical choice for the United
Nations system ».
The Problem
The United Nations often appears to be
rapidly destroying itself (1). Disillusionment concerning the capacity of international organization to solve world problems is now widespread. This is particularly true of the United Nations system of
organizations (and extends corrosively to
staff members of each secretariat).
chest defenders of its ideals - (2).
This disillusionment, and the realization
that we may have to live with the problems and adapt to them, has led to severe cuts in United Nations and Agency
programme budgets now viewed as in-
ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES, 1-2 1979.
creasingly symbolic in value. The UN
has even had difficulties in meeting its
payroll and other day-to-day obligations
The situation has been considerably aggravated by the recent dollar devaluations (3). « All available facts and figure;
indicate that a major crisis cannot be
much longer postponed » says one UN
General Assembly document. « Clearly, if
a full, final and viable settlement of the
Organization's urgent financial difficulties
is to stand any chance of success, substantial voluntary contributions for their
equivalent) additional to those already
paid or pledged must be assured. Whether they will be forthcoming in sufficient
amount will be very much dependent or
the response made, in the first instance
by the major Powers of the United Nations ». They have not been forthcoming.
Politically the major Powers no longer
have any great need for the United Nations (4).
Provocos ?
It has increasingly been recognized by
the United Nations that voluntary organizations can contribute valuable
resources and expertise to many UN
programmes. The number of international voluntary agencies co-operation with UN specialized agencies
confirms this. But in the past, it has often been a one-way process where
NGOs participated in UN projects and
were utilized for information and fund
raising purposes, but were rarely involved in joint planning efforts. Dwain
Epps of the World Council of
Churches' Commission on International Affairs described this situation
in 1976 : « The UN is very interested
in being serviced on its terms, but is...
hesitant to serve, to facilitate NGO
contributions, or to permit effective
NGO co-operation at policy-formulation levels ».
Bradford Morse, Administrator of the
UN Development Programme (UNDP)
supports expanding the co-operation
of this agency with NGOs. or. as he
has termed them. « professional, voluntary and citizens' organizations»
(PROVOCOS),
thus
emphasizing
what they are, rather than what they
are not.
Development forum Nov-Dec
1978
« On the whole the United Nations system of intergovernmental organizations have become less
and less effective as matrixes for international
where substantial interests of the great powers
and generally the developed countries are directly
or indirectly involved » (5).
With the exception of some specialized
technical agencies, it has become an
arena in which developing countries are
placated and contained by encouraging
them to spend endiess hours in formulating toothless resolutions with little hope
of implementation (6).
The UN Response
Faced with this situation the United Nations has only two responses, one internal, the other external. The internal response is to devote » an entirely disproportionate part of the energy of delegates
and secretariats » to the matter of « coordination » - a « large scale escape » into
these issues has been used by great
powers to curtail the organizations effectiveness, according to Gunnar Myrdal (7). (This matter will be considered in
a later issue). The external response is to
considerably accelerate the persuasion
of public opinion and the creation of
« political will ». This was stressed by the
Secretary General of UNCTAD as being
of the highest priority « in order to avoid a
second Development Decade of even
deeper
frustration
than
the
first
one » (TD/96).
To meet this challenge ECOSOC's Centre for Economic and Social information
(now incorporated into the Office of Public Information) prepared a report (A/AC.
141/L71) which was submitted to the
fourth session (meeting from 29 September 1969) of the Preparatory Committee
for the Second United Nations Development Decade. The report concerned mobilization of public opinion for the Decade. Extracts were published in International Associations (1970, No 3. p. 154-
156) and a critique appeared in the following issue (1970, No. 4. p. 221-224).
The report was used as a guideline in
terms of which CESI and, to some extent,
OPI have been functioning since 1970.
The UN Secretary General has just produced a Review and Appraisal of the
« Dissemination of Information and Mobilization of Public Opinion Relative to Problems of Development » (E/5358, 21 May
1973). This is the follow-up to the CESI
report of 1969 and records progress
made on the mobilization front. The information for the Secretary General's review « is drawn from replies submitted by
member States... But in view of the limited number of replies received to the
three questions raised about public attitudes, it was necessary to draw on other
sources of information as well. Of the 12
replies received. 10 were from industrial
countries...» (paras 3-4). This is indicative of member States' interest in the
matter. However, « While some of the
submissions discussed the impact of
such activities on the public mind, it is
difficult to escape the conclusion that, in
spite of governmental efforts and similar
programmes by nongovernmental organizations (8), the state of public opinion on matters of development, particularly in the industrialized countries, is
generally less favourable today than it
has been in the past. This tends to be
borne out by empiric observation » (paras
5-6). The review notes that « It would
probably be unfair to conclude that a
sudden callousness had overcome public
opinion in the developed countries. It is
more like a closing of the gates to a pattern of generalizations perceived as outworn by over-use » (para, 20).
An Analysis
Now the question is who within the UN
system is responsible for the over-use of
this pattern of generalizations ? How
predictable was the « closing of the
gates ? Why has the « political will »
been further eroded ? (9). In our 1970 critique of the CESI approach we attempted
to draw attention to its defects (see extract in insert). The out-of-date mentality
which characterizes U.N. thinking on
these matters can be illustrated by a
modified version of the classic World War
I « mobilization » poster (p. 410). It can be
usefully, if ironically and regretfully, contrasted with the current U.S. Army conscription poster whose new mentality
theme and style we illustrate on page
411 (10). Analysis and evidence is of
course available in support of the need
for this changed approach, and what else
would convince U.S. Army generals to
change their traditional - tough - stance
to such an extent. And yet no equivalent
analysis penetrates through to the UN
Public Information sections. The most
succinct version of an analysis that we
have encountered may be given in diagrammatic form in Fig. 1 (11).
Approach 1
Under the heading « Avoiding disillusionment », the author notes that « Approach
1 ». which is the standard UN/OPI approach, may lead to a favourable reaction
by the « target » body (e.g. man-in-thestreet. NGO. or a national government
agency) receiving the « message » but
often this reaction is incorrect due to the
tendency, admitted by many producing
the messages, to over-sell their product
(in this case the UN development programme) to give the impression that it
will solve every problem about which the
target body is concerned. This approach
often leads to disillusionment when recommendations become realities, and the
target body realizes that the UN programmes do not cure problems but may
even bring additional problems in their
wake. This discovery tends to lead to
conflict and alienation from the UN pro-
9
grammes and, by association, from the
programme objectives.
The word « mobilization » has special
associations and was clearly chosen
for that reason. Just as in the past,
people have been mobilized for war,
the UN is now proposing to take the
lead in mobilizing people for the war
on want. From a governmental point of
view, there is perhaps little difference.
It is (as one dictionary puts it) a case
of making the people mobile and
readily available, and calling into active service in readiness for a course
of action decided by government.
Approach 2
A second option often taken when the
previous approach does not work, may
be described as the « command » approach. This involves arranging for a directive from a body (possibly a United
Nations Association or a Unesco National
Commission) on which the target body is
dependent or which he or it respects, announcing that a positive response is required to the message (e.g. the UN programme). If the body has little independence then, as shown in Approach 2 (lefthand side), resentment of the approach
will result in action but with alienation of
those involved and a hostile attitude toward future messages. If the body is more
powerful, it may be able to implement it in
a counter-productive manner or ensure
that it is ignored (Approach 2, right-hand
side). Approach 2 probably occurs in all
national government bureuacracies which
have to respond to the frequent and
seemingly frenetic calls for UN Days,
Years, and other symbolic programmes
and questionnaires.
The question could however be raised
as to whether there were not some attitudes deriving from war psychology
which are not directly associated with
the mobilization of the public - such
as artificially generating a crisis mentality. Given that it is in the process of
mobilization that the people's freedom
of action is bent to that of the leaders
associated with the government apparatus, once the process of mobilization is completed, a war machine is in
being and individual will can no longer
be taken into account. It is the psychology of the various stages in this
process which form one topic of
peace research. The question raised
here is therefore whether in a free society, and under what conditions, public will can or should be mobilized
by government. In addition there is
the implied definition of man and human nature, and the rights of man, in
the supposition that his will can be
bent to suit the government strategy,
however benign its intentions. Is the
Approach 3
The United Nations has still to learn how
to implement « Approach 3 », which is a
minimum response to its resource problem and the achievement of its objectives.
Approach 3 is much less authoritarian.
The responsible body (in this case the
appropriate unit of the U.N. system) approaches the external contact (the « target body » in OPI/CESI parlance) with an
offer of help, pointing out what might be
achieved by the external contact's information programme in a collaborative and
participative entreprise and asking for ideas and assistance from that body. This
approach helps the external contact (e.g.
an NGO or a national government agency) to gain a correct impression of the
proposed programme and to participate
in its elaboration (see feedback loop).
The programme finally implemented has
much greater chance of motivating the
external contact and of ensuring its involvement
and
cooperation.
Of course UN officials regularly ask for
•( assistance and ideas » in such arenas
as NGO briefing sessions. On closer inspecting however, this is either a completely ritual gesture, or is interpreted to
mean publicizing the UN programme to a
wider audience. No participation or feedback is involved. Nor could it be « received » by the secretariat in many cases
- there is no procedural provision for
such
feedback
messages.
Whilst Approach 3 would represent a major step forward if meaningfully implemented, it is nevertheless excessively directive (12), if maximum support is to be
obtained for « programmes on world
problems » . The rewording is deliberate
here. The UN seeks maximum support for
10
action in terms of « UN programme objectives ». These programme objectives
however presumably represent the desires of « we the peoples... ». They do not
belong in some mysterious, exclusive
and copyrighted manner to the United
Nations system as a set of institutions,
as the wording would seem to imply. The
UN system therefore loses nothing, and
gains much, by encouraging and facilitating external bodies in the pursuit of their
own programme objectives. It is really a
question of whether the UN system is interested solely in its own programmes as
symbols of departmental and institutional
glory, or rather in the accomplishment of
their objectives, by whatever channels are
available. Unfortunately it usually seems
to be the former, even when (as is often
the case) the « programme » has only sufficient resources for one staff member
plus shared secretary.
Approach 4
An « Approach 4 » could therefore be
conceived which goes beyond marketing.
will which can be so induced or manipulated to be considered no different
in quality, desirability and durability
from self-generated will ? These are
old questions.
The space devoted to these issues in
the Report does not correspond to the
number of problems raised by some of
their implications. There is a radical
difference, as is intended, between informing those members of the public
who desire information, and scientifically designing a campaign to influence individuals via the leaders whom
they respect. This is very similar to the
problem posed by corporations trading in their own shares to control artificially their value in the market. How
democratic is the selection of the
cause for which people should be
mobilized ? There is a total lack of
awareness that will should be formed
by mature reflection on the part of the
individual and not by artificially manipulating his environment. In a democratic society each organized group
has the right to attempt to influence
the individual. It is from his interaction
with these groups - his total social
environment - his own experiences,
that his freely chosen course of action
- his will - germinates. The UN, according to the Report, should intervene in these processes without, as
might be considered its responsibility,
revealing any understanding of the
complexity of the processes involved.
(Extract from a review of UN « mobilization » in International Associations,
1970, no. 4)
even of the subtlest « stimulus-response » type as ably analyzed above by
Rigby. In Approach 4 the « stimulus »
would not come from only one group of
bodies, namely the UN Agencies, implying that only they have seen « the truth ».
And the stimulus would not only be received by external bodies, implying that
they are all and always - retarded » in
their thinking, compared to that of the
U.N. system. In Approach 4 the « stimuli » would come from any active and concerned body and the « responses » would
come from as many bodies as perceived
the stimuli to be valid options for their
own programmes. This network-oriented
approach is the basis for a synergistic
multiplication of resources directed toward world problems. The challenge to the
U.N. system is to help give operational
reality to such an approach. Studies are
required to clarify it. They could well be
combined in a sort of « mini-Jackson Report » to provide the missing component
in the thinking of the original Jackson Report (13).
CURRENT GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSE TO WORLD CRISIS a World War I approach
THE U.S. ARMY'S RESPONSE TO ITS CONSCRIPTION CRISIS : a 1970s approach
« The army wants to join you now ».
The NGO Role
Let us see how the U.N. is meeting this
challenge and moving toward a more upto-date approach to mobilizing public
opinion by involving NGO's. In December
1972 in Geneva. ECOSOC convened a
- Meeting of experts on the particular
role of the nongovernmental organizations on the mobilizing of public opinion
and political will ». Some versions of the
title add « in support of the International
Development Strategy ». The experts
were mainly from key NGO's with some
participants from key national development information programmes. The meeting was chaired by Mrs Helvi Sipila. UN
Assistant Secretary-General for Social
and Humanitarian Matters, in the presence of Curtis Roosevelt, Chief of the ECOSOC NGO Section and W. Gibson Parker.
Director
of
CESI/UN.
The experts came forth with exciting references to a « new style of relationship ».
for which a Canadian example was given,
in which a much less directive approach
was used. This involved going beyond
existing NGO's, shifting emphasis to the
participation of people and communities
rather than building up membership of
particular organizational empires. « Mobilization » was even condemned in favour of involving people where they can
participate and where they can learn in
« learning centres » - a « people approach » rather than an « institutional approach ».
The counter-current however was to
stress the fetter by letter interpretation of
the
UN's
International
Development
Strategy and only to examine NGO's
possible relevance to it. Opinions were
11
divided in a somewhat similar manner
over whether « NGO » should only mean
the select few which have passed all
their political examinations by one means
or another and achieved consultative
status, or whether it should also mean
non-recognized or non-international bodies. (It really is quite extraordinary that
in this time of increasing social crisis
there should still be this U.N. impulse to
say « that body is not good enough to
help »). Some experts stressed the consequent increasing isolation of the U.N.
and its seeming irrelevance to international conditions and issues. The Chairman agreed that the U.N. had lost contact
with the people to whom (not with
whom ?) it should be talking. There were
frequent references to the impression
that NGO's were » used » by the U.N. rather than being in partnership with it.
After an exciting start the meeting decayed considerably. A quite incredible
procedure was adopted of asking participants to hastily note down on scraps of
paper their recommendations which were
then typed up in a report examined word
by word in plenary. No working documents were prepared beforehand to improve the quality of the final result. The
report resulting from this lengthy process
was fortunately not circulated; instead; a
completely different version was later
produced (as an internal document only).
This is excellent in may ways. It seems to
have been based on an inspired interpretation of the sense of the meeting rather
than on the abortive procedure mentioned. The introduction is reproduced
here (on page 413). Now the report itself
contains some very exciting paragraphs.
A rough analysis groups them, according
to the « approaches » above, as follows :
Approach 1, no paragraphs; Approach 2,
5 paragraphs: Approach 3, 8 paragraphs;
Approach 4. 6 paragraphs; unclassified. 5
paragraphs.
The Current Reality
The above report was produced on 24
January 1973. The Secretary-General's
Review (cited above) appeared on 21
May 1973. It does not mention the meeting or the report. Its recommendations
(none of which suggest any new departures at this critical time) contain only
one reference to NGO's : « It would undoubtedly be helpful to the nongovernmental organizations in enlisting public
support for United Nations development
objectives » (para. 26). In practice this
sort of statement works out to Approach
1 again. It would seem that the meeting
was one more ritualistic session to contain criticism.
To be meaningful and credible, « partnership » talk on the part of the U.N. system
should extend visibly into the documents
of CESI and the Office of Public Information. In the vast mountain of U.N. system
reports, documents and brochures, why
has only ILO produced a brochure on the
NGO role ? Why are there no imaginative
reports
and
suggestions
?
Why has the Unesco Courier never had
an issue on NGO action ? Why is no
mention made of NGO's in the basic literature on the U.N. system which is available to the thousands of visitors to secretariat buildings, information centres and
regional offices, and which is the basic
ammunition of the national and local
United Nations Associations ? Why is the
« partnership » role not stressed in the
standard
secretariat
guided-tour
speech ? Why not tell the people of the
channels via which they can work in partnership with
the U.N. system ?
By stressing the « mighty institutional »
image, people have no means of responding to the U.N. other than by purchasing pretty postcards and stamps, or
selling the U.N. line in their home community. The latter is the traditional Approach
1 which has led to the alienation which is
now all too evident, often because of the
stultifying effect of the local U.N.A.'s UNcentred programmes (Approach 2).
The Critical Choice
The public information material of the
U.N. must show how nongovernmen-
FOOTNOTES
of an Ideal; the self-destruction of the United Nations
by Shirley Hazzard. London, Macmillan, 1973.
(2) Mahdi Elmandjra. The United Nations System; an
analysis. London, Faber and Faber 1973.
(8) It is rather ironical to note that « NGOs » are mentioned here for the first time (they were not mentioned
in the 1969 report) in a manner which effectively
spreads the blame for the inadequacies of the
CESI/OPI approach which has not attempted to involve
(3) The pensions of retired United Nations civil servants have been effectively (educed by 3O-40 % with
no possibility of compensation under present circumstances.
(4) For example: the European Security Conference
the Middle East, Vietnam, the hijacking issue, etc.
(5) Gunnar Myrdal. In : Mahdi Elmandjra. Op. cit. p. 13.
(6) Chadwick, Alger. International Associates, 1972,
p. 461 -464: « The analysis has shown that only 53 of
some 2000 (less than 3%) decisions in the assemblies and executive bodies of the UN, ILO and WHO
created new activities in the years 1955, 1960 and
1965 ».
(7) Gunnar Myrdal, In : Madhi Elmandjra. Op. cit. p. 13
NGOs
in
a
common
participative
approach but to
« brief » them on
its own approach.
(9) W. Gibson Parker, Director, CESI/UN at expert
meeting on Mobilization of Public Opinion (Geneva
December 1972).
(10) The first represents « Approach 1 » and the second, « Approach 3 » as defined in Fig. 1.
(11) Reproduced from an article on marketing in the
computer business by J. Malcolm Rigby. Tempering the
revolution. New Scientist, 4 June 1970, p. 4 (The
commentary is an adapatation of that in the article).
(12) An analysis of the weakness of this directiveness
is given in Donald Schon. Beyond the Stable State
public and private learning in a changing society London. Temple Smith, 1971 (reviewed in: Wanted; new
types of social organization. International Associations, 1971, 3).
12
ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES, 1 -2 1979.
t al (14) action, voluntary action, people's
movements, etc., are related to facilitated and reinforced by, U.N. action. It must
show how both contribute in partnership
to common objectives; objectives which
are those of « W e the peoples... » and not
of an anxious system of institutions trying
to monopolize every iota of credit in order
to
justify
its
own
existence.
This is not to say that the United Nations
should stress the importance of the existing NGO's, which in quite a number of
cases may be as institutionally distant
from the people as is the United Nations
(partly for similar reasons and partly in
imitation of sterile, status-boosting UN
procedures). Rather the stress should be
placed on the ability of (and need for)
people to act in the light of their own understanding through their own styles of
organization, whether they exist as traditional NGO's or need to be created using
new formulae in their own communities
It is the importance of this complementary creative mode of action which should
be stressed, for at the moment NGO's
constitute the underdeveloped « third
world » of the organizational system (15).
It is only by achieving this form of « selfmobilization », catalyzed (not organized)
in part by United Nations efforts, that the
progressive alienation of people from all
forms of organized action can be retarded. The United Nations must trust
that a massive growth in this « people action » would result in a very worthwhile
percentage of it being directly of value to
the specific U.N. concerns (although
able, but unrecognized, component of social development). That this is likely to
be the case is fairly evident from the
amount of independent grass-roots concern with peace, environment, racial discrimination and other such issues. «Catalysis » is the key to the needed United
Nations public information effort, not
« mobilization ». Catalysis leads to participation, mobilization leads to alienation.
A.J.
(13) United Nations Capacity Study of the United Nations Development System. New York. United Nations.
1969, 2 vols, (reviewed in International Associations.
1970, under the title « Planning for the 1960s in the
1970s ».
(14) « Nongovernmental » is an extremely unhelpful
and negative term of U.N. origin. It is as conducive to
positive effective partnership on the part of voluntary
bodies, as calling the United Nations the « Non National Organization » would be facilitative of nation state
collaboration.
(15) This « third world » parallel is very suggestive.
NGO action potential is underdeveloped, it does have
equivalent critical international problems (lack of
needed facilities, skills, financial resources, infrastructures information), it does have a poor relationship to the other components, the expanding growth of
its frustrated expectations does represent a critical
problem for the future - but there are a lot of people
and groups out there who could organize
themselves
further against world problems. And. as opposed to the
socio-economic counterpart, the process could be
selfgenerating if it could be appropriately catalyzed.
« INVISIBLE ». REALITIES
Attempt at a « detailed » model of the United Nations concept of the world social s y s t e m
13
Extract from the report and recommendations of the U.N. experts meeting in Geneva 13-15
December 1972 on the particular role of the NGO's in mobilizing public opinion and political
will
A theme that was repeated over and
over again throughout this meeting
was the need for a new set of relationships between the United Nations
system and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the people of the
world. The UN's present attitude towards NGOs reflects a situation where
not only are people unaware and often uninterested in the work of the
United Nations, but also where the
United Nations is unaware and appartently uninterested in the views
and concerns of people throughout
the world. For « we the people » the
United Nations is becoming increasingly irrelevant and it is essential
that the United Nations generally, and
the Economic and Social Council in
particular, understand the implications of this situation and respond to
it.
In this regard, there was a strong feel
ing that NGOs will no longer tolerate
being used by the United Nations told what the United Nations wants
them to promote without being consulted during the formulation stages
of the programme. A change in the
present process is imperative if the
United Nations is to regain the interest and support of the world population, and engage the constituencies of
the NGOs in furthering the work of the
United Nations.
This change must lead to a partnership between the United Nations and
NGOs from which each can mutually
benefit. NGOs with their different constituencies, particularly at the national
level, can offer a great variety of resources to the United Nations if the
United Nations is willing to listen and
be influenced by these resources
(constitencies). The United Nations
must be willing to involve those NGOs
with specific capacities in programme planning, formulation, and
implementation. Other wise, the United Nations cannot expect NGOs to
mobilize public opinion for a strategy
which they had no hand in drafting.
Having
described
this
underlying
theme of the meeting, the need for a
new relationship, the participants emphasized that this relationship must
involve all the bodies and channels of
the United Nations system in a co-ordinated manner, international, regional and national. It must involve a
broader range of voluntary agencies
than those NGOs presently having
consultative status with the Economic
and Social Council. The emphasis is
14
not on numbers but on relevance and
the quality of the potential contribution of the NGOs. The development
and implementation of such a relationship must be a long term policy of
the United Nations, rather than the
present fragmented and occasional
approach. It will involve acquainting
Member States and United Nations
Secretariat members with the considerable contributions which have and
can be made by NGOs. Equally, it will
involve educating NGOs about the
possibilities of working with inter-governmental organizations, and about
what can and has been done by Member States and the United Nations,
while making each aware of the limitations
of
the
other.
Specifically, there was a strong feeling that the United Nations and governments must recognize that many
NGOs are most effective at the national and local level. Technical cooperation and assistance materialize
at the field level. Creating political will
for the goals of the International Development Strategy must be approached differently in each country.
The relationship between the UN and
NGOs must be adjused to take this
into account. As an integral part of
this the international NGO headquarters must be helped to facilitate liaison if the NGO contribution at all levels
is
to
be
maximized.
Underlying the discussion of the
group was an urgency to bridge a gap
of ignorance and misunderstanding
between the governmental and nongovernmental sectors. Implicit here is
the idea of engaging NGOs as a
means of reaching the peoples of the
world in order to involve them in the
international community's effort to
work, through an International Development Strategy, towards a universal
society where social justice, with its
political and economic consequences,
appears as a realistic possibility. To
accomplish this the group felt that the
United Nations would have to take the
lead in establishing a relationship with
NGOs and their constituencies where
a style leading to trust and confidence
was
clearly
evident.
1. The United Nations should include
the participation of NGOs, selected on
the basis of their special expertise, in
the planning and drafting of programmes and reports to be submitted
to the United Nations governing bodies. This should be done 1 ) by direct
representation of NGOs in preparatory meetings. 2) by use of information
collected by NGOs concerning the issue under study. This means involving
NGOs in all aspects of policy making preplanning, planning and implementation. It will not only provide the United Nations with a valuable pool of expertise and information, but will also
increase its awareness of public opinion.
(Secretariat Note : This might be accomplished without violating paragraph 12 of resolution 1296 (XLIV)).
2.
Co-ordination
(non-duplication)
within the UN system, maximizing on
existing experience, programmes and
relationships, is essential, as is the
need to streamline and co-ordinate
channels of communications with
NGOs, and to coordinate NGO programmes with those of the total UN
family. (Secretariat Note : The Secretary of the Council's Committee on
NGOs has reported to the Committee
that lack of coordination within the UN
system - rivalries and duplication - is
the main reason for inhibiting more
engagement
from
NGOs).
5. UN should develop channels for a
continous, genuine UN-NGO dialogue
with a cross-section of NGOs to insure a two-way communication with
NGOs. In this regard, provision should
be made for the collection of data on
action taken by NGOs on issues of
development. (Data on their technical
assistance efforts as well as their educational, informational and political
efforts).
7. Provisions should be made for
developing relations with a broader
range of organizations than those
presently granted consultative status,
including national NGOs. academic
and research institutions and foundations. A review of policies and procedures for groups obtaining consultative status should be undertaken in
consultation with voluntary associations and NGOs. A thorough study
and analysis of NGOs and voluntary
associations, their interests, activities
and resource capabilities should be
authorized, taking into account those
studies
already
undertaken
or
planned.
10. ECOSOC should consider making
appropriate arrangements to enable
the public to express its view on development issues, such as holding a
« public » session, and that more
meetings between the ECOSOC NGO
Committee and NGOs be held, with
summary records. The summary records, or their equivalent, were
stressed because of the need to communicate the details of such proceedings to interested parties not able to
be present.
11. That CESI be encouraged to develop further, in other countries, the
initiative it took in convening the public meetings in Boston and St. Louis.
13. The facilities available to NGOs directly affect their ability to fulfill their
communication and other functions.
The ECOSOC should look into the facilities available at Headquarters,
Geneva, and other UN Offices for the
purpose of improving these.
The role of U.S.A. NGO's
in international development co-operation
by David Horton Smith*
This study was undertaken as the result
of a request form the United Nations to
produce a chapter for a forthcoming
book(1) in which the NGOs of various
countries are discussed with regard to
their roles in effecting the practical implementation of matters relevant to the New
International Economic Order (NIEO). The
NIEO was adopted by the Seventh Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1975 as outlined in Declaration and Programme of Action (Resolution 3362, S-VII). This proposal commits the United Nations to taking important new steps, in collaboration with its
member states, toward the development
of low income and less developed countries ail over the world. It has six major
elements, dealing with agricultural development, industrialization, and scientifictechnological infrastructure development
of LDCs, coupled with proposed major
changes in the structure of international
trade, the transfer of resources form the
wealthier countries directly to the poorer
ones, and control over LDC energy and
natural resources by these countries
themselves rather than by multinational
corporations, transnational corporations.
or other entities or persons based essentially
in
the
wealthy
countries.
We were thus concerned with determining the present and potential role of the
United States' national NGOs in facilitating implementation of various aspects of
the NIEO - by raising public awareness
about, influencing public policy-making
towards, and affecting other matters relevant to the NIEO. To do this we called
upon a variety of persons known by the
author to have substantial interest, experience, knowledge and information relevant to the study. As a prelude to our study of the US. NGO activity with relation to
LDCs and the NIEO, we reviewed the
background of current public opinion in
the U.S. regarding international assistance and looked at the parameters of
magnitude of the voluntary (NGO) sector
in the U.S. Then we turned our attention
to the attitudes of national TN-NGOs and
of the U.S. government toward the NIEO.
The basis for our understanding these
matters emanates from our qualitative
impressions and anecdotal information
more than from any quantitative data
since there is little of the latter. We did
examine any empirical data available that
was pertinent to our study in any way,
and conducted several quantitative analyses of data from directories of U.S.
NGOs. After the initial paper was drafted
and had been read and commented on by
perhaps a score of experts. I re-drafted it,
incorporating many of the opinions of
these experts, and then went through the
process again. We sought as much accuracy as was possible, and as much elimination of any subjective bias as there
might
be
in
the
findings.
In trying to understand the role of U.S.
NGOs in the world-wide battle against
poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy,
among other ills, we believed it was important to begin by looking at what all
types of U.S. national NGOs are doing in
these areas, not just the NGOs who have
development as their primary objective,
We looked at U.S. NGOs involved in international and transnational affairs, then,
even if their prime concern was not with
development or sharing of global resources. Although the term could be
broadly defined to include nonprofit, nongovernmental hospitals, colleges, and
universities, and so forth, we were concerned in this study with those NGOs usually termed voluntary associations or
voluntary agencies in the United States,
including churches.
Most
transnationally-oriented
national
NGOs (TN-NGOs) in the U.S. have, in our
opinion, relatively little understanding of
the New International Economic Order,
and even when they do. there is a tendency to be overly concerned with microprocess issues, and not enough with
macro-structural issues so crucially involved. In other words, the U.S. TN-NGOs
with an LDC development focus work
mainly on the country level and intracountry issues rather than become concerned in working with the larger context
and structural issues affecting LDCs,
particularly the world economic and socio-political system as dominated by the
industrialized,
developed
countries.
What follows here is a concise summary
of Our conclusions regarding the role of
U.S. national NGOs in relation to the
NIEO and LDC development issues.
Some recommendations we have made
will also be briefly listed.
• Professor of Sociology. Boston College
Groupe dénfante par Jan Gossart/Mabusa
lnbel
Photo:
15
• Public opinion survey data on the U.S.
adult population show that attitudes toward foreign aid. international assistance,
and the United Nations are at a low ebb.
However, the long term decline in some
areas of attitudes may have steadied in
the past few years. This makes for a very
difficult context in which U.S. TN-NGOs.
particularly development-concerned TNNGOs. have to work.
• Where U.S. Public opinion is favourable
toward foreign aid and assistance to
LDCs. this attitude is in most cases little
related to action or real commitment. Part
of the problem is the lack of faith of the
U.S. public in the foreign aid programs
administered by the U.S. government.
People simply do not believe that foreign
aid is really reaching the people most in
need in LDCs - and people are generally
correct in this view.
• The indépendant voluntary sector of
U.S. society is very large and possibly
unique in its absolute size, the independence of its NGOs, their level of development and their impact on U.S. life and affairs, both domestic and foreign. For instance, national NGOs involve about 19
billion worth of contributed time each
year, and a budget of over 15 billion.
The approximately 13,000 national NGOs
of the United States have an estimated 3
million local affiliates, represent a membership of about 340 million, and involve
over 500,000 paid staff (80 percent clergy or religious).
• TN-NGOs constitute a significant minority of national NGOs in the United
States, with an estimated 15 percent or
about 1950 NGOs falling into this category. Of these TN-NGOs, about one-third
have a secondary transnational interest
and two-thirds have a primary transnational interest. TN-NGOs differ from all
NGOs in under-representing work (occupation-related) NGOs. and play (leisureexpressive) NGOs. By contrast. TNNGOs tend to differ from all NGOs in
over-representing NGOs with a religious
purpose or with an overtly transnational
purpose.
• Within the category of TN-NGOs, there
seem to be about 400 organizations directly concerned with development activities in LDCs and development issues in
policy forums in the U.S. These core development TN-NGOs thus constitute
about 20 percent of all TN-NGOs and
about 3 percent of all U.S. national
NGOs.
• Examination of the larger category of
TN-NGOs shows that a general interest
in some aspect of world affairs tends to
be positively associated with an interest
in LDC development. This finding has
been interpreted as confirming our general thesis of the relevance of the larger
context of TN-NGOs to the understanding of more strictly development-concerned TN-NGOs. We have gone even
further in our interpretation to suggest, at
least tentatively, that these results confirm the possibility that TN-NGOs in general may be a fertile ground from which to
seek additional development-concerned
people and organizations. In any event,
there seems to be some evidence of a
possible « spillover effect » of world affairs awareness onto a concern for LDC
development. Future longitudinal study is
needed to verify this hypothesis.
•
Development-concerned
TN-NGOs
tend to focus mainly on educational programs, with somewhat less emphasis on
The first train in Brussels
Photo Inbel
health ami medical programs, direct economic and technical assistance and relief and rehabilitation programs However
the manner of classification of TN-NGO
programs makes comparisons difficult
across data sources and even across organizations. It is unclear to what extent
existing data sources can be relied upon
for such categorizations.
• The New International Economic Order
represents a new departure and perspective on LDC development of the past
few years. Unlike the traditional « system
blame » perspective on the main cause of
LDC under-development and slow progress toward development, the NIEO
argues, basically, that there are causes
external to the LDCs themselves (e g
the world economic system) that are
significantly responsible for the continuing plight of the Third and Fourth Worlds.
• The NIEO is not the same as economic
and social development, but suggests a
plan that is believed to be conducive to
rapid LDC development. A major part of
this plan involves focus on some of the
major « micro-process issues ». such as
agricultural development, industrialization, and scientific-technological infrastructure development, all of which can
take place essentially within the boundaries of a given LDC with relatively little effect on the larger context of the country
involved. Still more important to the NIEO.
however, is a focus on some -macrostructural issues » of development such
as the structure of international trade, the
transfer of resources from the wealthier
countries to the poorer ones, and LDC
control over LDC energy and other natural resources. All of these, by contrast
with the micro-process issues, necessarily involve other countries (usually developed countries) than the LDC itself.
• In order to reach and help the Third
and Fourth Worlds adequately in the
realm of development, much greater focus is needed on the macro-structural issues than has been given in the past.
This kind of focus is needed from all sectors of developed societies as well as
from the LDCs themselves.
• As far as can be seen, neither the earlier Ford-Nixon Administration nor the
current Carter Administration of the U.S.
government seem to have been moved to
do very much that is new or different as a
result of the NIEO. Although the Carter
Administration states a willingness to
work with others on the great problems of
underdevelopment. spokespersons make
it clear that little can be expected in the
way of additional foreign aid. and that for
this new Administration also foreign aid
is the chosen mode of assisting LDCs.
Yet there has been a significant decline
in the percentage of the GNP of the United States contributed to overseas development assistance in the past 15 years
or so. It appears that the burden of LDC
development is being placed on the LDCs
16
themselves, while the net 1975 U.S. contributions of overseas development assistance was but 10 percent of U.S. private consumption for expenditures on
tobacco and alcohol products.
• At the same time. Congress is insisting
that NGOs. or private and voluntary organizations as they are sometimes
called, play an ever greater role in the delivery of development assistance abroad
with funds or commodities allocated to
the Agency for International Development
of the U.S. Department of State.
• The macro-structuraI issues of the
N1EO do not seem to be addressed directly by the U.S. government. They are.
rather, being side-stepped, with substitutions offered that are essentially more of
the same kind of aid that has been unsucessful in the past in bringing about significant, wide-spread, and self-sustaining
development in LDCs. The micro-process
development issues always tend to be
preferred, since they involve less disturbance of the international status quo and
more « person blame » for « victim
blame ») than « system blame ».
• The types of TN-NGOs most favorable
to the NIEO, often without being aware of
the NIEO per se, are the development assistance, public issue advocacy for development, relief and rehabilitation, religious, educational, and medical-public
health TN-NGOs. Much less attention is
paid to NIEO type issues by population
and family planning, UN-support (paradoxically), occupation-related, world affairs, environmental, cultural exchangefriendship, or leisure TN-NGOs.
• Even where familiarity with the NIEO is
greatest and attitudes most positive
among the U.S. TN-NGO community,
most of the emphasis is still placed on
the micro-process issues of development
and very little awareness, let alone effective activity, is directed toward macrostructural issues. The public issue advocacy for development TN-NGOs are
about the only type of U.S. TN-NGO really
addressing these issues.
• TN-NGOs differ from all U.S. NGOs by
tending to be more recently formed, more
staff based (rather than membership
based), smaller in numbers of members
and in numbers of local affiliates, as well
as having somewhat smaller numbers of
staff on the average. This means, in general, that the average TN-NGO in the U.S.
is rather weaker in operational strength
than other NGOs at the national level,
with church-sponsored TN-NGOs being
the major exception to this point. This situation puts TN-NGOs at a disadvantage
in pressing for their goals in competition
for scare resources with other U.S.
NGOs.
• TN-NGOs Of the United States cover
the full range of operational thrusts, from
public education and influencing policy to
Concert in the Parc of Brussels.
photo Inbel.
the channelling of funds and direct service in LDCs. Most development-concerned TN-NGOs, however, tend to be
primarily concerned with the latter, with
only minor attention to the former two
functions. There are, nonetheless, some
development-concerned TN-NGOs that
specialize in either public education or
attempting to influence U.S. official policy
regarding development and NIEO issues.
• There is a core of TN-NGOs that are
basically self-interested, and that make
strong attempts to influence U.S. policy in
ways that are contrary to the aims of the
NIEO and to the best interests of the
Third World and Fourth World LDCs. This
core of TN-NGOs in strong opposition to
the NIEO is composed largely of business-trade associations, labor unions,
farm organizations, and some professional associations (Large business firms,
especially multinational corporations, are
also involved in this opposition, though
they are not NGOs by our present definition).
• A variety of ways of increasing cooperation among TN-NGOs themselves
or with other organizations have been
suggested in this paper (listed below in
part) after reviewing the current rather
low state of co-operation and co-ordination. The recommendations are highly
varied, from the pragmatic to the Utopian,
from the long-term to the short, and from
the obvious to the subtle. There are also
many further details that need to be
worked out for most of them before they
can be implemented directly, but they are
offered as food for thought.
• It is not assumed that co-operation for
its own sake is necessarily good, or necessarily good for fostering LDC development. But it is concluded that present levels of co-operation leave so much to be
desired that some special efforts towards
greater and more effective co-operation
are needed.
• There are many problems that need to
be worked out, as suggested above, before most of the co-operation recommendations can be implemented. However,
there are several underlying dynamics
that may provide an impetus for working
on such problems. For instance, co-operation may be necessary for TN-NGOs in
order to preserve their whole sense of identity, given the NIEO thrust. Or TNNGOs may pursue enlightened self-interest in seeking more effective co-operation and heightened effectiveness in advance of restrictive legislation requiring
such action. Or TN-NGOs may rise to the
challenge of trying to involve each other
(and non TN-NGOs) in their own favorite
transnational objectives, using co-operative meetings and activities as means of
joint communication.
• There is a need for much better and
deeper-rooted understanding by nearly
everybody of the real and ever-growing
dependence and interdependence of nations, organizations, and people in the
world of today and tomorrow. The NIEO
may be quite an imperfect plan or a beautiful idea, depending on one's perspective. But whatever one's perspective, the
NIEO is there - it has been articulated
and is unlikely to simply fade away.
Therefore, the wise organization in business, government, or the NGO sector will
not ignore it.
In our view, the time has come for all U.S.
TN-NGOs to surface and examine their
basic underlying assumptions, especially
those TN-NGOs that believe sincerely
that they are working to help LDCs and
the poor, the hungry, the sick, the malnourished, the illiterate, and otherwise
disadvantaged people of these countries.
17
Below we list some recommendations for
greater cooperation and coordination between U.S. TN-NGOs and the United Nations as well as with other intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
the initial planning, conference operation
and
conference
follow-up
stages if there is clear evidence of
IGO willingness to accept such cooperation and participation.
1. The United Nations and other IGOs
should re-think their role and stance
both overall and throughout their
member agencies in relation to national TN-NGOs (as well as INGOs).
Many of the most basic problems of
cooperation between NGOs and the
UN and Other IGOs result from a generally condescending attitude on the
part of the international officials and
government representatives. An IGO
is not a government. It is simply a
special kind of voluntary association
whose members happen to be governments rather than other kinds of
organizations
Of
individuals.
Ultimately, it has perhaps more in common with both INGOs and national
TN-NGOs than with national governments. As a result, the UN for other
IGOs) should be more willing to work
as partners with national NGOs as
well as with INGOs, in addition to
working cooperatively with national
governments and with other IGOs.
together with national TN-NGOs and
international INGOs should use the
full range of available knowledge and
innovative ideas for more participative and effective conferencing and
meetings (5). This kind of knowledge
utilization should be actively pursued
at the level of world conferences, as
well as for smaller working meetings.
together with national TN-NGOs and
INGOs should explore all feasible
means of enhancing the quality and
quantity of their inter-communication
An old alleyway in Brussels
should work more conscientiously to
cooperate participatively with national TN-NGOs as well as with INGOs.
The style should be a network style
rather than a hierarchical style. Such
attempts should fully utilize the
wealth of insights already available
regarding
INGO/UN
and
TNNGO/national government problems
of cooperation and their possible solutions (2). These attempts should
also utilize the accumulated knowledge about inter-organizational cooperation in general developed by the
social sciences (3).
should give careful consideration to
long range alternative organizational
structures, and to the issues of organizational evolution and transformation. These considerations should
emphasize particularly the increasing provision for inputs into policymaking as well as cooperation in
implementation
by
national
TNNGOs as well as INGOs (4).
4. Similarly, TN-NGOs ought to re-think
their role and stance regarding IGOs,
if the latter show a genuine willingenss (a) to change their current,
pervasive attitudes of organizational
elitism and (b) to work toward real
cooperation with national and international NGOs at the headquarters
and field levels alike. NGOs should
vigorously pursue avenues leading
to greater participation in UN and
other IGO world conferences at both
18
common interest. This should definitely include studying the feasibility
of creating a world-wide, on-line
computerized information base that
would allow any IGO or NGO to examine, at will, all development projects or activities of potential relevance to their own organization. This
would permit all organizations and
agencies concerned with development to determine where cooperation is most likely to be possible
Once possible cooperation areas
have been identified, steps should be
taken by the IGO and NGO representatives who become aware of them
to follow through to the level of actual joint planning and cooperative
implementation, where relevant and
feasible.
7. There should be more as well as better (i.e.. more sensitive and non-sim-
Photo Inbel
plistic) independent evaluation involving both the projects of the UN
and other IGOs and those of national
and international NGOs, especially in
the areas relevant to international
development. The results of such
evaluations should be widely disseminated and available in the
world-wide on-line computer information base mentioned above so
that there can be a maximum of
learning about what works and what
does not and why. Both IGOs and
NGOs should invariably review the
results of relevant prior evaluation
studies before planning any new projects or extending present ones. The
results of the full range of evaluation
studies should be summarized in the
form of various brief pamphlets that
will provide accurate feedback on
projects and programs to national
governments of LDCs and developed
countries, to the United Nations and
other IGOs, to the members and constituencies of national TN-NGOs and
INGOs, and to the public.
8. All IGO and NGO development projects should involve considerably
more participative planning with both
government and NGO leaders in
LDCs. Again, a cooperative networking style should be used from the beginning, rather than implementing de
facto a « new imperialism » via IGOs,
INGOs or NGOs based in or controlled by the developed countries (6).
9. Ail development projects in LDCs
should require some LDC inputs of
resources (whether from the LDC
government or LDC NGOs) into the
implementation of any such projects
that involve IGO or NGO cooperation
from outside (7). This will guarantee
that development projects in a given
LDC are really needed and wanted
by at least some individuals or institutions representing that country
(whether formally or informally). Collaboration with at least one indigenous LDC organization or agency
would further guarantee that there
will be some residue of experience
and some infrastructure building as a
result of the project.
10. All IGOs and all NGOs (national or international) should strive to overcome their current pervasive and
harmful reluctance to share credit for
successful projects, and their fear of
sharing in the blame for any unsuccessful projects. Such reluctance is
a major barrier among IGOs and
NGOs to cooperative planning and
cooperative implementation of development projects. Each organization
or agency, whether affiliated with an
IGO or an NGO of any level, seeks to
maximize blame for unsuccessful
projects. It is a prime characteristic
of the vanguard of the voluntary sector and NGOs to be risk-takers and
social innovators. Both IGOs and
NGOs of all types and levels should
be more aware of this historical role
and act accordingly.
11. All IGOs and all NGOs (national or international) should strive to overcome, similarly, their current pervasive and often harmful fear of loss of
identity or loss of control over projects. Such fears are also major barriers among IGOs and NGOs to cooperative planning and implementation of development projects. If a genuine networking style of cooperation is used, rather than a hierarchical style, there is no necessary reason for any participating organization, whether IGO or NGO. to lose its
identify in the process. Emphasis on
specific cooperative projects in the
field (rather than on formal conditions of the larger TN-NGOs themselves) can help avoid some problems of feared blurring of TN-NGO identities and corresponding feared
loss of power and resources. In the
process of cooperation each participating organization, whether IGO or
NGO, may lose some control over the
process of planning and implementing a development project, but the
official aim is LDC development, not
maximizing control over projects and
programs. Therefore, in the development effort, any organization (IGO or
FOOTNOTES
12. Finally, the United Nations and other
IGOs. together with INGOs and national TN-NGOs. should place first
priority on dealing with the very difficult macrostructural issues of the
NIEO rather than simply to take the
« soft option .. of the micro-process
issues. The focus of this effort should
be to convince the U.S. State Department (and the foreign offices or
ministries of other developed countries) that no real long-term and
meaningful progress can be made in
accomplishing LDC development until and unless major concessions are
made, in accord with the NIEO. There
must be a total effort here toward
gradual structural change in the
world economy, including all developed countries, if the NIEO is to become a reality and if world resources
are to be more equitably distributed,
so that a decent minimum quality of
life results for all citizens of the world
society. Not to take these changes in
the basic structure of the world
economy seriously, as called for by
the NIEO, is to make international
development
efforts
largely
a
farce (8) and to increase the likelihood of a Third World War that has a
double meaning. « The Third World »
(and Fourth World included within it)
« is angry and they have matches »,
to quote a colleague.
As a last note, it is important to realize
that much of the work needing to be done
by U.S. TN-NGOs in regard to development has to do with affecting American
public awareness and American government policy-making and implementation
regarding the NIEO macro-structural issues. Development-oriented U.S. TNNGOs very much need to become more
conscious of this. Unless this happens
and they become more active in the macro-structural issue areas, given the general importance of the U.S. in the world
economy and polity, the NIEO can never
happen peacefully.
Survey ». International Associations, vol. 23. no. 7. 1971. pp. 414-22: The Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid. The Role of Voluntary Agencies in In-
in a chapter. « Role of U.S. NGOs in International Development Co-Operation (84 pp.) in the book, Non-Governmental Organizations in International Co-Oper1979 by a commercial publisher under the sponsorship of UNITAR. The chapter
win. Burt R., and W. Chittick. et al., with comments from others too numerous to
(2) See Lissner, Jorgen. The Politics of Altruism : A Study of the Political Behavior
of Voluntary Development Agencies (Geneva : Lutheran World Federation. Dept.
of Studios. 1977); Verhagen. Frans. Partnership or Prophecy ? A Sociological
Study of the Autonomy of 100. Predominantly Registered. Voluntary Development Organizations Vis-à-vis the U.S. Governement (New York : Ph. D. Dissertation. Columbia University, forthcoming 1978); Roberts. Glyn. Questioning Development : Notes for Volunteers and Others Concerned with the Theory and Practice of Change (Paris: Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service. UNESCO); Judge. A J N
NGO) that lets fear of loss of control
completely block its cooperation with
other organizations is more part of
the problem than part of the solution.
« INGO Problems. Studies and Activities : A UIA
nternational Assistance: A Look to the Future (Washington: Agency for Iternational Development. 1974); and Sommer. John G.. U.S. Voluntary Aid to the
Third World : What Is Its Future ? (Washington : Overseas Development Council,
197S).
(3) See Smith. David Norton, with A.J.N. Judge. - Inter-Organizational Networking »(Transnational Associations, vol. 30. No. 10. pp. 429-34').
(4) See Aake Anker-Ording. - Three Stages of Possible U.N. Development - (International Associations, vol. 25. no. 3. 1973, pp. 168-72).
(5) See Miller. Ernest C., éd.. Conference Leadership (New York: American Management Association. 1972): Judge. A.J.N., - Facultative Techniques for Participative Meetings - (International Associations, vol. 28.no. 2. 1976); and Judge.
A.J.N.. « Enhancing Transnational Network Activity » transnational Associations. Vol. 29. 1977. no. 10. pp. 401-O3).
(6) See Linden. Eugane. The Almsraco: The Impact of American Voluntary Aid
Abroad (New York : Random House. 1976).
(7) See Lissnet. op. cit.. note 2.
19
Forum 1980
____
Introduction
Le présent des relations internationales
publiques et privées dérivant d'un passé
FORUM MONDIAL DES ASSOCIATIONS
Historique
internationales, d'autre part » (conclusions du rapport général de 1910).
Ajoutons, objectivement, qu'hier c'était
aussi le temps d'un certain altruisme, un
mot du philosophe français Auguste
Comte, le fondateur d'une sociologie
positiviste d'école occidentale, avec tout
ce que ce concept moral, chargé de bonnes intentions, de solidarité humaine
désintéressée, impliquait à l'époque, par
la force des choses, de centre et de
rayonnement européens.
Sous le Haut patronage de Sa Majesté le Roi des Belges
LE DOSSIER HISTORIQUE DU FORUM
(23-27 juin 1980)
"La fondation de l'Union des Associations Internationales au
Congrès mondial de Bruxelles de 1910 évoque le temps des pionniers de la coopération internationale, quand l'initiative privée traçait hardiment la voie de l'organisation universelle des nations ».
U Thant
Secrétaire Général de l'ONU
(1961-1972).
d'histoire relativement contemporaine, il
nous a paru essentiel, pour la préparation des dossiers de notre Forum mondial
de 1980. de remonter le cours du siècle,
par delà les deux grandes guerres, et
d'aller aux sources du premier Congrès
mondial des associations, d'où naquit
l'Union des Associations Internationales.
Le dossier d'archives que nous ouvrons
ici, avec des extraits d'un historique de
G.P. Speeckaert publié en 1970 lors du
60ème anniversaire de l'UAI, montre la
distance et la différence qui séparent le
premier rassemblement associatif mondial millésime 1910 du rendez-vous
associatif de 1980.
Hier, c'était, avant l'ère de l'organisation
internationale,
un
véritable
congrès
associatif organique, qui se voulait permanent, un congrès des dirigeants
d'associations dites internationales, officielles et privées, chargées de faire rapport sur les diverses activités alors principalement juridiques, économiques, professionnelles, scientifiques. L'objet général du Congrès était « l'étude de l'organisation internationale dans tous les
domaines et sous toutes les formes » et
l'objectif visé une organisation internationale combinée des Etats et des Associations. « Les éléments constitutifs de
l'organisation
internationale
sont
les
Nations d'une part, les associations
20
ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES.
1-2 1979
Aujourd'hui un système international est
universellement établi, vaille que vaille,
qui répond pour une part, mais pour une
part seulement, à l'idée, aux efforts des
pères fondateurs de l'UAI. En un sens le
réseau officiel des organisations internationales, universelles, spécialisées et
régionales, assume actuellement la fonction espérée et attendue du premier
Congrès « permanent » de 1910.
Quant a l'autre part, celle du reseau
transnational privé des associations
sans but lucratif, la Charte et l'Organisation des Nations-Unies leur ont fait un
sort en admettant le principe novateur de
la consultation et en établissant, à cette
fin. un « statut consultatif » qui a fait son
chemin du Conseil économique et social
aux institutions spécialisées et régionales.
Quelque trente ans d'expérience de ce
« statut consultatif » ont permis d'en
juger la méthode et les résultats, à certains égards satisfaisants, à d'autres
beaucoup moins, selon les climats politi-
Historique
Forum 1980
Aux sources du premier Congrès mondial
des associations internationales
(9-11 mai 1910)
ques et les espèces d'associations. On
ne risque guère d'être démenti si l'on
constate qu'en tout état de cause on est
loin d'une véritable participation, à de
rares cas prés. Or, circonstance aggravante, les projets de restructuration des
Nations-Unies, dans la ligne du nouvel
ordre économique à l'enseigne du Développement, font malheureusement craindre un recul de la fonction consultative
alors que l'intérêt général requiert son
amendement à défaut de sa revision.
Cette situation sera un des soucis
majeurs de notre Forum de 1980 et
l'occasion unique pour les associations
de faire connaître leur sentiment, avant
même un débat qui. cela va sans dire, ne
pourra pas matériellement les réunir toutes en une énorme assemblée de milliers
de participants, mais qui du moins leur
permettra à toutes d'être informées par
nos soins et de s'exprimer par correspondance, autant qu'elles le souhaitent.
Le Forum de 1980 c'est, à l'autre bout du
siècle, la voie démocratique « de l'international au transnational ». Notre dossier
historique, illustration de nos archives,
sera le meilleur des guides tant pour les
organisateurs et les cadres intellectuels
du Forum que pour les participants de
toutes
natures
et
disciplines.
A lire successivement la lettre d'invitation au Congrès de 1910, son ordre du
jour, son programme annoncé permanent, on distinguera ce qui est acquis de
ce qui demeure en souffrance, ce qui
était de circonstance momentanée, de ce
qui est d'importance constante.
Le Forum de 1980 sera l'occasion d'un
hommage d'admiration et de gratitude à
nos pères précurseurs de l'organisation
internationale pour leur vision déjà mondiale, leur conscience de solidarité
humaine et leur pressentiment de l'interdépendance universelle. Mais quand un
Paul Otlet, blanchi dans l'internationalisme, faisait la somme de sa vie en écrivant « Monde » en 1935, s'il ne pouvait
imaginer la hâte du siècle, du moins
savait-il, dans sa vaste culture, que l'Histoire, en évolution continue, est une suite
de moments et qu'il est de raison d'opérer à temps les changements requis.
Ainsi les organisateurs et les participants
du Forum de 1980 honoreront-ils le souvenir de leurs devanciers en allant hardiment et généreusement de l'avant, aux
nouvelles dimensions et aux nouvelles
composantes de l'ordre international du
temps présent.
R.F.
Les trois maisons des corporations (XVII e.s.) figurent parmi les plus remarquables de la Grand Place de Bruxelles. De gauche a droite : « Le Sac » et « La Brouette » sont du méme
type: une facade de style renaissance décorations baroques. «La Maison du Roi dÉspagne» est plus austére et se rapproche du style italien, enter autres par lémploi de statuettes. Léxubérance flamande se traduit cependant dans les ornements baroques.
TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS. 1 -2 1979
21
Forum 80
Historique
L'Union des Associations Internationales
Ses origines, ses buts, ses premières œuvres (1907-1944)
par G.P. Speeckaert
Les premières organisations internationales s'étaient lentement constituées au
lendemain du Congrès de Vienne, six
d'entre elles seulement entre 1815 et
1849. vingt-neuf entre 1850 et 1869. Le
nombre de congrès internationaux, pour
les mêmes périodes, fut respectivement
de quatorze et de cent vingt-deux au
total.
Ensuite le mouvement s'accentua progressivement. Cependant, en 1900, il
n'existait encore que 208 organisations
internationales, dont 186 établies en
Europe. 17 en Amérique du Nord, 2 en
Amérique du Sud, 1 en Afrique et 2 en
Asie. Douze pour cent d'entre elles
étaient des institutions intergouvemementales.
Les années 1900 à 1904 virent se créer
61
organisations
internationales
non
gouvernementales - dénommées associations internationales jusqu'à la naissance des Nations Unies en 1945 - et 5
organisations
intergouvernementales.
Pour les années 1905 à 1909, les chiffres
sont de 131 et 4; pour 1910 à 1914, ils
sont de 112 et 4.
Ce n'est qu'à partir de 1904 que le nombre annuel de congrès internationaux
dépasse
définitivement
la
centaine.
Aujourd'hui en 1970, il dépasse les 4.000
par an. Il faut se souvenir aussi que pendant toute la période d'avant 1914. la
Belgique fut le principal pays-hôte du
mouvement international, hébergeant à
elle seule un quart et même à certains
moments un tiers des organisations
internationales. Leur nombre en 1914
était d'environ 500; aujourd'hui il va
dépasser les 3.000, dont dix pour cent
ont un caractère intergouvernemental.
I. LES BUTS
Sociologie
En 1907, Cyrille Van Overbergh, directeur général de l'Enseignement supérieur, des sciences et des lettres au
Ministère des Sciences et des Arts de
Belgique et directeur du « Mouvement
sociologique international ». écrivait dans
la préface d'une étude sur « L'Association Internationale » publiée par la
22
Société belge de sociologie : « Parmi les
structures sociales, il en est une qui fixe
de plus en plus l'attention du monde civilisé; elle se développe et se multiplie
sous nos yeux avec une rapidité et une
fécondité qui prouvent qu'elle correspond
à un besoin sans cesse grandissant:
c'est l'association internationale au sens
moderne du mot, une des expressions
les plus caractéristiques de la solidarité
des peuples, le compose, pourrait-on
dire, de la notion de l'internationalisme
dans ce qu'elle a de plus élevé et de plus
fécond ».
Nous devons nous arrêter un instant sur
le mot « internationalisme ». suranné
aujourd'hui mais largement utilisé dans
les premiers documents publiés par
I'U.A.I. Récent et fascinant, il évoquait
pour l'élite intellectuelle du début du siècle l'image d'une civilisation naissante,
d'une organisation nouvelle de la société.
Il s'employait aussi pour désigner
« l'étude des faits internationaux et de
leur
coordination
organique
».
Le fait suivant nous paraît assez révélateur. Le 6 mai 1910. en l'honneur des
participants du Premier Congrès mondial
des Associations internationales, lequel
allait donner naissance à l'Union des
Associations Internationales, une réception fut offerte à l'Institut de Sociologie
de Bruxelles. Son directeur, M. Waxweiler y fit une conférence sur les rapports
de la sociologie avec l'internationalisme
et déclara « La sociologie est l'étude de
la vie. Il n'y a pas de monde social possible si on ne tient compte de son organisation, si bien que la sociologie se rapproche de l'internationalisme, tant au
point de vue pratique que théorique. On
s'inquiète de plus en plus de ce que
seront les hommes auxquels on applique
les lois; une politique basée sur la
science doit arriver à internationaliser
l'effort ».
Pour les fondateurs de I'U.A.I., « l'internationalisme est une science en tant qu'il
observe et théorétise les faits de l'ordre
international; il est une doctrine sociale
en tant qu'il s'efforce de dégager les buts
à assigner à la Société humaine, de
rechercher les moyens d'atteindre ces
ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES. 1-2 1979
buts et de les exprimer en règles; il est
un art et une politique sociale en tant
qu'il s'efforce d'appliquer ces régies et
de faire passer ses conceptions dans la
pratique ».
En même temps qu'ils assignaient à
I'U.A.I. la tâche de mesurer et de décrire
le degré d'internationalisation du monde,
ils lui donnaient l'objectif de dégager une
conception et un programme de l'internationalisme.
Auguste Beernaert, Ministre d'Etat. Président de
l'Union Interparlementaire. Prix Nobel de la Paix
1909 Président du 1er Congrès mondial des Assoctotion Internationales, à Bruxelles 191O.
Un document assez détaillé publié en
août 1921 en précise la notion, entre
autres en indiquant que « l'internationalisme s'oppose à d'autres doctrines, telles que - et nous citons le texte - fa
.. philosophie militariste » qui est
convaincue de la nécessite et du caractère bienfaisant de l'opposition entre les
Etats, théorie qui conduit à la guerre; la
« théorie ètatiste» qui fait de I Eta
l'expression suprême de l'idéal social et
érige en but le maintien et le développement de la force de l'Etat ainsi que
l'extension de son territoire et de son
autorité; la «théorie nationaliste» qui
repose sur un patriotisme étroit et irreflechi admirateur d'un peuple particulier
Historique
aux dépens de tous les autres, convaincu
de la mission providentielle d'un Etat particulier
dans
le
monde
».
Cependant, ajoutons tout de suite que
cet internationalisme entendait être bien
différent du « cosmopolitisme » unitaire
et envisageant l'humanité entière comme
un seul groupement social sans égards
aux
groupes
nationaux.
A la première page de l'édition 19081909 de l'Annuaire de la Vie Internationale, dans un article intitulé « La Science
de l'Internationalisme », Alfred Fried écrivait : « La Science de l'Internationalisme
est de date toute récente. Elle a pour
base l'idée de la coopération internationale envisagée dans ses causes et son
essence... L'Internationalisme, tel qu'il
s'affirme aujourd'hui, est loin de vouloir
un mélange mécanique des Etats particuliers, de vouloir supprimer les nations
et écarter les patries. Il se base au
contraire, sur les nations, sur les patries,
tire de ces formations sa force, le fondement de son existence. En unissant les
nations isolées dans un travail commun
pour atteindre une culture de valeur
supérieure, pour assurer une représentation plus efficace des intérêts de toutes
les patries, l'Internationalisme veut tout
d'abord aider au développement progressif des patries, au développement de la
valeur vitale et de la grandeur de chaque
nation; il ne veut pas abroger les patries,
mais plutôt leur assurer, par l'effet accumulé du travail, par l'échange régulier de
leur production, un plus grand bien-être,
une plus grande sécurité. En réalité,
l'Internationalisme est un patriotisme
élevé, ennobli ».
Dans ce passage qui entend réfuter les
accusations d'ennemis de la nation, de
traîtres à la patrie, qui étaient alors proférées contre les internationalistes, on
notera l'idée de coopération au développement.
De même, dans le compte rendu du 2 e
Congrès mondial des associations internationales, tenu à Gand-Bruxelles en
1913, nous lisons que «Le Congrès a
aussi dissipé le dernier doute qui pouvait
Henri La Fontaine 1854-1943.
Forum 80
encore exister dans les esprits sur la
possibilité de combiner les intérêts légitimes du nationalisme avec ceux de l'internationalisme. Loin de viser à un cosmopolitisme niveleur et sans caractère,
l'internationalisme, dont le Congrès s'est
fait l'organe, repose sur l'existence des
groupes nationaux eux-mêmes. Il les respecte et il souhaite leur développement,
comme dans une même nation il y a lieu
de souhaiter le développement des groupements qui la composent et des personnalités humaines qui forment ces groupements.
C'est dans la mise en contact de plus en
plus intime des nations, dans la mise en
commun de leurs expériences et des
œuvres réalisées par elles, que l'internationalisme trouvera sa grandeur et sa
force et ainsi surgira, de toutes les civilisations nationales réconciliées et unies,
la
civilisation
universelle.
»
II nous a paru intéressant de nous attarder
quelque peu sur ces notions qui peuvent
paraître aujourd'hui dépassées, mais qui
à l'époque de la naissance de l'U.A.I. faisaient l'objet de fortes controverses.
Déjà, à cet égard, il pouvait être utile de
les rappeler, puisque aux dires de Guizot
Paul Otlet 1868-1944.
« l'histoire d'avant-hier est la moins
connue; celle d'hier la plus oubliée ».
Mais ces citations ne sont pas non plus
sans avoir encore quelque actualité,
dans leurs pensées comme dans les
mots utilisés : bien-être, sécurité, civilisations unies, développement. Il fallait
aussi reproduire ces quelques extraits
des nombreux textes sur le sujet publié
par les soins de l'U.A.I.. afin de mieux
faire comprendre l'idée fondamentale qui
donna naissance à l'U.A.I. et qui est précisée comme suit dans le Compte rendu
de
son
Congrès
de
1913.
« L'effort doit porter sur le développement des Associations Internationales
qui constituent la structure sociale qui
répond le mieux aux besoins d'organisation de la société universelle. Il faut faire
de chacune, dans son domaine respectif,
la représentation universelle et l'autorité
la plus haute de la classe des intérêts
qu'elle fédère. De là la nécessité d'associer effectivement à leur œuvre les groupes de tous les pays et d'organiser dans
leur sein la représentation nationale.
L'effort doit porter ensuite sur la coordination, l'harmonisation des buts, des travaux, des services des associations. De
l'étude des faits doit se dégager la
conception d'une organisation mondiale
qui soit fondée sur l'existence d'une
communauté humaine solidaire en toutes
ses parties, où les grandes fonctions
économiques,
intellectuelles,
sociales
soient coordonnées conformément aux
desiderata de la Science et librement
gérées par les intéressés dans un esprit
de progrès.
Les Associations Internationales doivent
avoir pour objet et pour fonction chacune
une partie de l'organisation internationale intégrale. D'où nécessité pour elles
d'assurer vis-à-vis de la communauté,
l'efficacité de leur action, afin d'éviter de
nuire à l'ensemble, et de coopérer avec
des Associations s'occupant de branches
similaires
et
connexes.
« Pour travailler à ces tâches, il faut une
institution centrale. C'est l'Union des
Associations Internationales avec le
Congrès Mondial, organe de délibération
et de représentation, l'Office Central
organe d'exécution. »
Documentation
Surtout dans la période qui précéda la
création de l'U.A.I.. on considérait qu'une
des fonctions importantes des associations internationales était de veiller à ce
que la documentation des questions qui
font leur objet soit établie et organisée
sur
des
bases
universelles.
On peut même dire que la base du rapprochement entre les associations internationales qui amena la création en 1908
de l'Office central des associations internationales, devenu après 1910 le secrétariat de l'U.A.I. fut le souci d'arriver à une
bonne organisation de la documentation
des associations internationales, en
s'appuyant sur les services de l'Institut
international de Bibliographie, fondé en
1895. et qui fut, peut-on même dire, à
l'origine de l'U.A.I.
Rappelons que Henri La Fontaine et Paul
Otlet étaient en 1908 les secrétaires
généraux de cet Institut et présentèrent
cette même année à la 4e Conférence
internationale de bibliographie et de
documentation tenue à Bruxelles, un rapport conjoint sur « L'Etat actuel des
questions bibliographiques et l'Organisation internationale de la Documentation ».
Très vite, l'objectif fut élargi et visa la
rassemblement et la diffusion d'une
vaste documentation sur toutes les associations, réunions et publications internationales. L'ambition se dessina d'arriver a
constituer un centre mondial de docu-
23
Forum 80
mentation alimente et développé par la
coopération de tous les organismes producteurs ou utilisateurs des documents.
Dès 1908. il était de plus prévu de créer
au sein de l'Office un service de renseignements sur les institutions internationales et les faits de l'internationalisme.
En 1920. on parla de créer « un système
général de documentation et de publications, unissant en un vaste réseau les
centres d'études et de recherches les
plus importantes, en vue de coordonner
les informations scientifiques et les distribuer largement ».
Coordination et coopération
Aux objectifs d'étude sociologique et de
documentation, se joignait celui de promouvoir la coordination et la coopération
entre associations internationales. Dés
l'origine, les mots de coordination et de
coopération firent peur à certains esprits.
En termes excellents, le Président du
Premier Congres mondial des associations internationales. Auguste A. Beernaert. Ministre d'Etat et Président de
l'Union Interparlementaire chercha a clarifier les idées, en déclarant dans son
discours d'ouverture après avoir rappelé
de nombreux exemples de travaux
d'organismes internationaux :
« On voit donc qu'il s'agit d'un mouvement énorme d'idées, d'observations et
d'études, et combien il grandit avec le
développement incessant des relations
de peuple à peuple et avec les progrès
presque vertigineux de la science.
Et dois-je encore, après cela, faire grand
effort pour démontrer l'utilité qu'il y aurait
à coordonner toutes ces forces et à leur
faire appliquer des méthodes analogues,
de manière à donner à chacune la puissance
d'action
de
l'ensemble.
Chaque association doit garder son
autonomie et son caractère propre, de
même que l'établissement de relations
interparlementaires ne touche en rien à
l'absolue indépendance des Etats dont
des ressortissants s'y trouvent engagés,
Mais l'établissement d'une entente n'est
que l'une des formes de l'exercice d'une
action autonome. Et semblable accord
est aussi désirable pour l'unité des
efforts que pour la simplification des
moyens... »
Historique
arrêtés de commun accord et des ententes sur les meilleurs moyens pour les
réaliser.
La coopération et la coordination entre
Associations Internationales peuvent porter soit sur l'objet de leur action (objet
commun à plusieurs), soit sur tes méthodes (unification des instruments, des
systèmes d'unité, des éléments unitaires
des travaux), soit sur les conditions
d'exécution du travail (coopération de
travail avec répartition des tâches à
accomplir, ou coopération d'argent pour
assurer les moyens de faire faire en une
fois et au profit de tous, ce qui dépasserait les forces isolées ou coûterait plus
cher). Ce même article insiste d'autre part sur
la nécessité d'une collaboration entre les
associations internationales et les institutions intergouvernementales.
Dans son article « La Vie Internationale
et l'effort pour son organisation » signé
en 1912 par Henri La Fontaine et Paul
Otlet l'objectif est défini de la façon suivante :
- Parallèlement à la fédération des organismes, se poursuit une véritable fédération des activités fondée sur la coopération et la coordination.
La coopération a pour base, d'une part la
division du travail et la repartition des
tâches, d'autre part, la concentration des
résultats du travail ainsi organise.
La coordination a pour base des programmes d'ensemble, des buts collectifs
24
Il souligne qu « une des fonctions le
plus importantes, des Associations intenationales
est
la
réglementation
L'entente entre les Etats l'a presque toujours pour objet Mais dans les Associions privées. la part de la réglementas
est grandissante .. Dans le programme
édite en 1914. du 3e Congrès mondial qui
aurait du avoir lieu en 1915 á San Francisco. il est souhaité - que désormais il
ný ait plus un seul domaine détude et
d'activité pratique qui ne soit représente
par une association internationale: que
toutes les fonctions de la vie des nations
soient effectivement envisagées par des
groupements appropriés et que des
connexions soient établies entre eux de
façon à ce que tous ensemble ils coopèrent à
l'organisation générale du
monde -.
Historique
Paix
L'anecdote suivante est rapportée par
Cyrille Van Overbergh dans un article
qu'il publiait en 1912 dans la revue « La
Vie Internationale ». Rappelons qu'il était
lui-même à l'époque un des secrétaires
généraux
en
question.
« Les secrétaires généraux de l'Office
Central des Associations Internationales
ne peuvent presque plus s'aborder sans
se
communiquer
réciproquement
la
bonne nouvelle d'une fondation internationale nouvelle. Si bien que récemment,
à une réunion de pacifistes, où l'un de
nous exposait ce progrés, un homme
d'Etat eminent s'écriait : « La voilà, la
véritable base positive du pacifisme
international. S'unir contre la guerre,
c'est très bien; mais l'union est à but
négatif. Combien préférable l'union qui
édifie les institutions internationales, les
multiples et les perfectionne : je salue en
elle le plus fécond des pacifismes civilisateurs »
L'idée est exprimée ici dans la terminologie et le climat d'une époque où les élites
des grandes et petites nations cherchaient par des conférences diplomatiques, dans des congrès et au sein
d'associations multiples, les bases d'une
paix durable bâtie surtout sur le droit,
l'arbitrage et le désarmement. Mais cette
pensée - la paix par les organisations
internationales - déjà présentée d'ailleurs à la Conférence de la Paix de 1907,
à La Haye, fut sans aucun doute dès la
fondation de l'Union des Associations
internationales une des idées directrices
de son effort.
Elle est assez extraordinairement symbolisée par le fait que deux des trois
auteurs de l'édition de 1908-1909 de
l'Annuaire des Organisations Internationales, intitulé alors l'Annuaire de la Vie
Internationale, reçurent le Prix Nobel de
la Paix, Alfred A. Fried, en 1911 et Henri
La Fontaine en 1913, pour d'autres
contributions évidemment que celle de
rédacteurs
de
l'Annuaire.
Elle est symbolisée aussi par le fait que
cet Annuaire fut publié conjointement par
l'Office Central des Institutions internationales, par l'Institut international de
Bibliographie et par l'Institut international
de la Paix, ainsi que par le fait supplémentaire que l'édition suivante, celle de
1910-1911, fut publiée avec le concours
de la Fondation Carnegie pour la Paix
internationale.
Ajoutons ici, en dépassant un instant le
cadre chronologique suivi jusqu'à présent, que sous-jacente dans toutes les
activités et dans tous les projets entrepris depuis 1910 par l'Union des Associations Internationales, l'idée de la paix
par les organisations internationales
vient de reprendre une place nouvelle
dans le programme futur de l'U.A.I., à la
suite de la recommandation faite à
''Unesco par un des membres soviéti-
Forum 1980
ques de l'U.A.I.. le professeur Nikola A.
Kovalsky, vice-président du Comité des
Sciences sociales de la Commission de
l'U.R.S.S. pour l'Unesco...
II. LES ETAPES
L'histoire de l'U.A.I. peut se diviser en
trois périodes. Elles sont délimitées par
les guerres mondiales (1 ).
1re
période
Elle remonte en fait au mois de juillet
1906, qui vit un premier rapprochement
s'opérer entre les dirigeants de quelques
institutions internationales ayant leur
siège à Bruxelles. On était au lendemain
du Congres d'expansion mondiale de
Mons (1905) et à la veille de la Conférence
de
la
Haye
(1907).
Le 4 juin 1907. les représentants d'une
vingtaine d'associations décidèrent de
créer l'Office centra! des Institutions
internationales. Celui-ci fut officiellement
fondé, sous le patronnage du Gouvernement belge, par l'Assemblée générale du
29 janvier 19Û8, au cours de laquelle il
fut décidé d'organiser à Bruxelles en
1910 un Congrès mondial des associations internationales. Ce congrès, qui
donna lieu à un compte rendu de 1.246
pages, eut un retentissement considérable. Il se tint du 9 au 11 mai 1910 au
Palais des Académies de Bruxelles, sous
la présidence d'Auguste Beernaert, Prix
Nobel de !a Paix 1909, ancien premier
ministre, président et délégué de l'Union
Interparlementaire. Le Prince Roland
Bonaparte, M. Clunet, Président de l'Institut de droit international, M. Gobât, Prix
Nobel de la Paix 1902 et délègue du
Bureau international de la Paix. M. Guillaume, Président de la Commission française du vocabulaire électrotechnique,
M. Wilhelm Ostwald, Prix Nobel de chimie
1909 et Président de l'Association internatioale des sociétés chimiques et M.
Ernest Solvay en furent les vice-présidents.
Les délégués de 132 associations internationales, de 13 gouvernements, de plusieurs dizaines d'associations, cinq titulaires de Prix Nobel y prirent part. Ce fut
ce 1er Congrès mondial des associations
internationales qui donna naissance à
l'U.A.I.
Les trois secrétaires généraux du
Congrès, Henri La Fontaine. Paul Otlet et
Cyrille Van Overbergh. devinrent les
secrétaires généraux de cette institution
nouvelle. La structure de l'U.A.I. était la
suivante: le Congrès mondial se réunissant tous les trois ans. le Conseil international composé de délégués des associations internationales et se réunissant
annuellement et l'Office central comme
organe
exécutif
de
l'U.A.I.
Le 2e Congrès mondial eut lieu à GandBruxelles, du 15 au 18 juin 1913. sous la
présidence de M. Cooreman, ministre
d'Etat et président du Congrès interna-
tional des sciences administratives. Il
groupa les délégués de 169 associations
internationales et de 22 gouvernements.
Les travaux de ce congrès, dont le
compte rendu constitue un ouvrage de
1.264 pages, consacrèrent les résultats
acquis par le premier congrès et fut « une
étape nouvelle dans la voie de l'organisation internationale par la libre coopération des Associations aidées par les
Etats ».
Le 3e Congrès mondial dont les préparatifs furent interrompus par la guerre,
devait se tenir en 1915 à San Francisco,
dans le cadre de l'Exposition qui devait y
commémorer le centenaire de la Paix
entre les Etats-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne et célébrer l'inauguration du Canal
de Panama.
En 1914, l'U.A.I. fédérait 230 organisations internationales non gouvernementales, soit un peu plus de la moitié de la
totalité d'entre elles.
2e période
Pendant la première guerre mondiale,
l'U.A.I. maintint une activité intérieure
relative, mais ses dirigeants firent paraître à l'étranger un ensemble d'études
tendant à l'organisation de la Société
des Nations. (H. La Fontaine, The Great
Solution, 1915, Paul Otlet, Les problèmes
internationaux et la guerre, 1916; Constitution mondiale de la Société des Nations,
1917).
A cet égard, un mémoire de sept pages
imprimées du Secrétaire Général de la
Société des Nations, constituant un
document (A, 43 (B) 1921) du Conseil,
communiqué le 5 septembre 1921 aux
Etats membres de la Société et aux délégués à l'Assemblée et consacré à
« L'activité éducative et l'Organisation du
travail intellectuel accompli par l'Union
des Associations Internationales » souligna dans les termes suivants l'appui
apporté par l'U.A.I. en vue de la création
de la Société des Nations : « L'Union des
Associations Internationales devait trouver dans la création de la Société la
consécration logique de ses principes et
de ses ambitions. Avant la guerre, la
nature même de ses travaux avait fait
d'elfe indirectement, et dans la mesure
de ses moyens, l'un des promoteurs de la
Société des Nations. Elle avait même
affirmé, à l'avance, dans ses congrès,
que « le principe de la Société des
Nations était l'aboutissement de tout le
mouvement international ». Au cours de
la guerre, les dirigeants de l'Union
avaient élaboré des projets de Pacte et
de Constitution internationale ».
(1 ) Nous bornons ces extraits aux premières périodes
antérieures à la transformation de lÚAI, de conférence
d'associations en Institut de personnes.
25
Forum 1980
Historique
Ce mémoire rendit hommage à l'importance des institutions et des collections
groupées autour de l'U.A.I. dont il rappela
les caractéristiques et ce qu'elles
devaient à Henri La Fontaine et Paul
Otlet. Il se terminait par le passage suivant :
Dans celui des faits, elle a prouvé son
efficacité par ses créations. L'Union des
Associations
Internationales,
ses
Congres, les publications qui s'y rattachent,
et
l'Université
internationale,
constituent des moyens particulièrement
efficaces d'assurer .. la diffusion d'un
large esprit d'entente et de coopération
mondiales ». La Société des Nations doit
aujourd'hui les regarder comme des
organes de collaboration très précieux.
- Si l'on envisage dans son ensemble le
tableau que nous venons de tracer,
l'œuvre des fondateurs de l'Union des
Associations Internationales, œuvre de
documentation et d'information, de coordination des efforts, d'enseignement
général, apparaît comme une vaste
entreprise
d'organisation
intellectuelle
internationale,
qui
se
signale
par
l'ampleur des conceptions et des des-
seins. Son action se manifeste dans
deux sens. Dans le domaine des principes, elle doit à la force logique des
conceptions qu'elle a mises en évidence,
une influence des plus fécondes pour
préparer les esprits aux idées de solidarité et d'organisation internationales.
C'est ce que l'Assemblée a voulu affirmer. en approuvant l'aide morale et
matérielle donnée par le Conseil à
l'Union des Associations Internationales
et à l'Université internationale. Peut-être
nous permettra-t-on de tirer de la résolu
tion de l'Assemblée l'hommage implicitement rendu aux deux éminents protagonistes de ta solidarité internationale, auxquels sont dues ces institutions ».
Déjà le 5 janvier 1919, une réunion de
délégués de l'U.A.I. tenue à Paris arrêta
les termes d'un mémorandum adressé
aux délégués de la Conférence de la Paix
et contenant un projet de Charte mondiale des intérêts intellectuels et moraux.
C'est M. Paul Hymans, représentant de la
Belgique à la Conférence de la Paix, qui
le premier y présenta la coopération
intellectuelle comme un élément important de l'œuvre à accomplir par la Société
. des Nations et proposa la création d'un
Comité international de la coopération
intellectuelle. La proposition ne fut pas
26
retenue
à
ce
moment.
Le 3e Congrès mondial des associations
internationales. tenu à Bruxelles du 5 au
20 septembre 1920, discuta et arrêta le
plan d'une organisation du travail intellectuel à réaliser en coopération avec la
Société des Nations.
bre 1924. sous la présidence d'Edouard
Clarapède et d'Henri La Fontaine, avec la
participation d'une cinquantaine d'organisations internationales. La Société des
Nations y avait délégué son Secrétaireadjoint M. Nitobé. Un 5e Congrès eut
encore lieu du 17 au 19 juillet 1927.
L'auteur résume ici une suite de propositions qui, au départ de l'UAI, allaient
conduire, au temps de la SON à la Commission internationale de coopération intellectuelle, du temps de l'ONU à l'Unesco et tout
récemment à l'Université des NationsUnies.
Mais les temps avaient change. La generation des précurseurs avait fait place a
celle de la fonction internationale. Henri La
Fontaine et Paul Otlet continuèrent leurs
efforts jusqu'à la guerre, avec des moyens
réduits, mais une ténacité admirable qui se
signala surtout dans leur éminente spécialité, la documentation. Passant à m,stoire.
ils s'en allèrent ensemble, comme ils
avaient vécu, en frères spirituels, l'un en
1943, l'autre en 1944. Le dernier geste du
Prix Nobel de la Paix de 1913 avait été de
léguer sa fortune et sa bibliothèque en deux
parts égales a I'UAI et au Bureau international de la Paix.
Le 3e Congrès des Associations internationales, auquel participèrent une centaine d'entre elles, eut lieu en même
temps que la première session de l'Université Internationale. Le 4e Congrès des
Associations internationales se tint à
l'Université de Genève les 8 et 9 septem-
Il y a 70 ans...
Historique du Forum 1980
CONGRÈS MONDIAL
DES
ASSOCIATIONS
INTERNATIONALES
BRUXELLES, 9-11 MAI 1910
1. — DOCUMENTS PRÉLIMINAIRES
Lettre d'invitation.
A Messieurs les Président et Membres
des Comités directeurs des Associations
Internationales,
Nous avons l'honneur de vous inviter à
prendre part à un Congrès mondial des
Associations Internationales, qui aura
lieu à Bruxelles au mois de mai 1910.
L'objet de ce Congrès est l'étude de l'organisation internationale dans tous les
domaines et sous toutes les formes : la
science et l'art; le droit et l'organisation
politique; les œuvres sociales et le domaine économique.
L'organisation internationale est due à
un mouvement vaste et continu, séculaire quant à son origine, mais qui a pris son
grand développement en ces dernières
années.
Elle tend à une coopération plus grande
entre les groupes similaires de tous les
pays, à l'extension, au monde entier, des
grandes conquêtes du savoir et de la
technique, à l'unification des méthodes
et à l'entente internationale sur tous les
points où elle est possible et reconnue
désirable.
Les Associations Internationales sont
devenues les organes centralisateurs de
ce mouvement. Officielles ou privées,
créées par l'union des Etats ou formées
par le rapprochement des collectivités
nationales de libre initiative, c'est a elles
que nous devons ces résultats qui ont
transformé la vie mondiale: la poste universelle; l'extension à toutes les relations
du système métrique décimal; la coordination par delà les frontières des services de chemins de fer et de navigation; le
droit international applique a tous les
rapports juridiques des personnes et des
biens; la justice arbitrale entre les nations, substituant le règne de la paix aux
aléas de la guerre; la discussion interparlementaire des grands intérêts mondiaux;
fa mutualité, la bienfaisance et l'assurance, étendant a tous les pays la sphère de
la solidarité et de la fraternité; la santé
publique mise à l'abri des grands fléaux
par des mesures d'hygiène concertées;
les œuvres d'art et les livres internationalement protégés, échangés, prêtés et
la
documentation
universalisée;
les
sciences étudiées en commun et, par
l'apport des résultats partiels des travailleurs de tous pays, constituées en une
synthèse
universelle
du
savoir.
Réunir en des assises communes les dirigeants des Associations Internationales et ceux qui participent à leur action
est une entreprise nouvelle. Comment ne
pas être convaincu qu'elle est appelée à
produire des résultats considérables?
Le but du Congrès, en effet, est multiple.
C'est d'abord la mise en relation des
hommes qui ont vécu au contact des realités internationales. Ils ont un intérêt réciproque a échanger les fruits de leur expérience, quant aux moyens à employer
et aux procédés à mettre en œuvre pour
le développement et la gestion des Associations
confiées
à
leur
soin.
Il y a ensuite la recherche de l'harmonie
et de la coordination entre les buts et
l'activité de tant d'œuvres diverses, nées
de besoins particuliers, et qui se sont développées
souvent sans soupçonner
même comment elles pourraient coopérer entre elles, s'entr'aider, mieux délimiter leur sphère d'action, s'intégrer davantage soit en se dirigeant dans telle direction donnée, soit en provoquant la création d'organismes nouveaux, complémentaires
et
auxiliaires.
Enfin, et par-dessus tout, il y a grande
utilité à voir confier à un Congrès central
l'œuvre même qui est commune à tant
d'Associations et de Congrès internationaux : l'organisation de la vie internationale dans laquelle se retrouvent, mais
sur une échelle plus vaste et avec des
modalités caractéristiques, les mêmes
fonctions et les mêmes problèmes que
dans la vie nationale. Les étudier, les formuler et les proclamer, en tenant compte
de leurs relations réciproques, n'est-ce
pas une tâche qui échoit naturellement
aux Associations Internationales unies,
elles qui constituent, à l'heure actuelle, la
plus haute représentation des intérêts
mondiaux et de la civilisation ?
Appelé à siéger le premier de toute une
série de Congrès internationaux spè-_
ciaux, convoqués eux-mêmes à Bruxelles en 1910, selon qu'il convient traditionnellement en une année d'Exposition
universelle, te Congrès des Associations
Internationales ne pourra manquer d'exercer, sur leur orientation même, une action efficace.
Nous osons espérer. Messieurs, qu'il
vous plaira d'y participer et de contribuer
à son succès en y apportant, pour les
spécialités qui sont les vôtres, la précieuse collaboration de votre science et de
votre expérience.
Cette collaboration pourra se réaliser
notamment en présentant au Congrès un
rapport général sur votre organisation,
votre programme, vos travaux, les méthodes que vous appliquez, les résultats que
vous avez obtenus, vos desiderata relatifs à la coopération avec d'autres Associations. Outre ce rapport, des communications particulières sur des points spéciaux du programme sont sollicitées, tant
de vous-mêmes que de vos membres
compétents.
La notice ci-jointe expose l'organisation
du Congrès et le programme provisoire
qui a été arrêté. Le Congrès a été préparé par deux publications : lÉnquête sur
l'Association Internationale, considérée
comme structure sociale, dont le premier
volume a paru contenant la monographie
de 18 Associations; l'Annuaire de la Vie
Internationale, recueil de plus de 1.500
pages, qui comprend des notices sur 150
Associations au sujet de chacune desquelles a été donné, avec l'analyse ou la
reproduction de ses statuts, un aperçu
sommaire de son histoire et de ses tra-
27
Il y a 7O ans...
Ordre du jour du Congrès de 1910.
Ordre du jour du Congrès
1. La coopération entre les Associations
Internationales.
2. Le régime juridique des Associations
Internationales (reconnaissance légale,
personnification civile, etc.)
3. Les systèmes internationaux d'unités
dans les sciences et dans les services
techniques (unification et coordination
des systèmes, le système métrique, le
système de C.G.S., les types et la « standardisation »)
4. Les types d'organismes internationaux
(examen comparé, avantages et inconvénients des systèmes en présence).
5. Les Associations Internationales et
l'organisation de la bibliographie et de la
documentation.
6. La terminologie scientifique et les langages internationaux (terminologie systématique des sciences, notation,
signaux, langue internationale, traductions scientifiques).
Les questions précédentes, portées à
l'ordre du jour et examinées dans des
rapports publiés avant le Congrès, seront
discutées en assemblée générale.
Cet ordre du jour est provisoire. Il pourra
y être ajouté d'autres questions.
Toutes les questions du programme permanent pourront faire l'objet de communications.
Programme permanent du Congrès.
I. - Etat actuel des institutions internationales existantes
Exposé de l'état de chacune des institutions existantes : leur but, leur programme, leur histoire, leur organisation,
leurs travaux, leurs méthodes.
II. - L'organisation internationale en
général
1. Fondement, principes, bases et programme général.
2. Histoire de l'internationalisme et de
l'organisation internationale.
3. Les grands faits et la statistique du
mouvement international. Etat actuel de
l'organisation internationale.
3. Les grands faits et la statistique du
mouvement international.
4. L'organisation de la vie internationale
et
l'administration
internationale
en
généra!.
5. L'internationalisme et la paix.
6. L'internationalisme et les gouvernements.
7. La représentation des grands intérêts
dans l'organisation internationale et le
rôle général des Associations internationales.
III. - Domaine de l'action internationale.
Organismes internationaux
1. But et objet divers susceptibles d'être
internationalisés : But de progrès et
d'organisation scientifique; but d'intérêt
professionnel:
but
de
propagande
d'idées; but d'utilité publique (travaux
publics et services généraux); but
d'action sociale et économique: but de
moralisation et de religion; but de relation, but d'étude, d'information et de
28
documentation; but
d'entente fraternelle.
de
solidarité
et
2. Exposé comparatif des divers types
d'organismes internationaux :
a) Types d'après leur objet : Associations
internationales de science et d'art; associations internationales en matière de
droit et d'organisation politique: associations internationales poursuivant la réalisation d'œuvres sociales; associations
internationales du domaine économique;
b) Types d'après leur fonction : Organismes remplissant le rôle d'organes d'information, de délibération et de réglementation (congrès, conférences, réunions,
meetings, assemblées générales, etc.);
organismes remplissant le rôle d'organes
d'exécution et d'administration (offices,
instituts, bureaux, secrétariats, etc.);
c) Types d'après la nature des membres
ou le mode de constitution : Associations
officielles (unions internationales entre
Etats
ou
grandes
administrations,
conventions
internationales),
associations mixtes (Etats et collectivités privées), associations libres (fédérations,
cartel ou alliance, instituts cooptant ses
membres).
3. Structure et fonctionnement des organismes internationaux. Origine et actes
constitutifs. Membres : nature, catégories, cotisation, conditions d'admission,
droits et obligations, nombre. Organisation de la représentation et du vote.
Patronage. Délégués des Gouvernements et des autres associations. Organes. Personnel. Nom. Régime juridique:
reconnaissance légale, personnification
civile, capacité d'agir en tous pays.
Régime financier : ressources, donations,
subsides, gestion du patrimoine. Siège et
locaux. Mode de correspondance. Transformation prévue des associations.
IV. - Activités diverses, œuvres et services des associations internationales.
1. Travaux scientifiques en collaboration
internationale : Recherches systématiques; réseau de stations scientifiques;
enquêtes internationales; constitution et
organisation générale de la science.
2. Réglementation internationale: réglementation officielle ou juridique et réglementation conventionnelle; codes et
contrats types.
3. Systèmes d'unités internationaux :
systèmes généraux des mesures; généralisation et applications nouvelles du
système métrique; le système des C.G.S.;
les types et la « standardisation » dans
les sciences, les industries et les services techniques; l'unification et la coordination des systèmes particuliers, les
concordances et équivalences.
4. Langages internationaux : Terminologie, nomenclature, vocabulaire; systèmes
de définitions; systématique et classification des sciences; notations et symboles;
signaux; langue internationale; traductions scientifiques.
5. Publications internationales: Annuaires, revues, encyclopédies, traités généraux, recueils et corpus; traduction et
coordination de documents officiels;
tables et catalogues généraux.
6. Documentation internationale: Bibliographie, bibliothèques, archives, services
d'information : collectionnement, échanges, catalogues, prêt international des
documents.
7. Collections centrales et instituts de
recherches internationaux : Musées,
expositions, laboratoires, stations scientifiques.
8. Enseignement : programmes, méthodes, équivalence et reconnaissance
internationale des diplômes.
It y a 70 ans...
9. Statistique internationale ; Unification
des méthodes statistiques dans les
divers domaines, concentration des données statistiques et tableaux internationaux comparatifs.
10. Aides financières internationales:
Subventions, prix, concours; budget
international.
11. Divers: Arbitrage des conflits entre
personnes d'une
même
profession?
organismes internationaux pour la liquidation des comptes entre administrations
ou groupes affiliés; carte d'identité internationale, etc.
V. Congrès internationaux
1. Origine histoire.
2. Organisation générale des congrès.
Utilité. Objet et liste des congrès. Statistique générale. Succession, continuité et
périodicité des congrès. Mom et numérotation. Résultats généraux des congrès.
3. Patronages officielles aux congrès.
Délégués des Gouvernements.
4. Propagande. Comités locaux ou nationaux permanents, communs à tous les
congrès, en correspondance avec une
organisation centrale des congrès. Relations avec la presse.
5. Règlement des congrès.
6. Programme et ordre du jour. Rapports.
Communications. Enquêtes préalables.
Conférences.
7_ Procédure des discussions.
9. Résolutions et vœux des congrès;
vote; moyens d'y donner suite.
10. Publication des travaux des congrès :
Actes et documents. Méthodes de publication. Relations avec l'édition et la
librairie.
11. Archives des congrès. Dépôt des
stocks de publications.
12. Services accessoires d'ordre intérieur. Visites et excursions scientifiques.
Expositions annexées aux Congrès.
Fêtes.
13. Ensemble de Congrès réunis en une
même ville et à une même époque. Services communs des congrès. Organisme
central des Congrès.
14. Ententes relatives à la fixation des
dates des congrès. Calendrier des
congrès. Sessions communes.
VI. - Méthodes et procédés généraux
des Associations internationales
1. En quoi consiste l'internationalisme
des associations : internationalisme
quant à l'objet, quant aux méthodes
mises en œuvre, quant aux conditions
dans lesquelles s'exécutent les travaux.
2. Procédés généraux: l'unification, la
simplification, l'intégration, la concentration, l'étude comparée, l'échange des
services et des produits du travail, la solidarité, la représentation des intérêts.
3. Reconnaissance du principe d'auto-
rité : rapports avec les principes de
liberté, d'autonomie, d'indépendance, de
décentralisation;
l'entente
libre
et
l'entente obligée.
4. Méthodes d'unification ; Substitution
de systèmes internationaux aux systèmes nationaux; juxtaposition de systèmes internationaux auxiliaire aux systèmes nationaux demeurés en vigueur;
système unique mis en vigueur dans les
limites de territoires conventionnellement
délimités.
VII. - Coopération entre les Associations internationales
1. Principes et fondement de la coopération.
2. Modes divers de coopération :
Entr'aide de travail; entr'aide financière;
services communs; coopération des
idées; action convergente; entente relative aux domaines mixtes, communs ou
limitrophes; relation de leurs vœux et
résolutions.
3. Faits isolés de coopération et de coordination.
4. Institutions générales et permanentes
pour la coopération : Congrès des Associations internationales; Office central
des Institutions internationales; Publications : Annuaire de la Vie internationale:
Relations : la franchise de port internationale et le régime des échanges internationaux.
séance d'ouverture du 1er Congrès mondial des Associations Internationales dans la grande salle du Palais des Académies de Bruxelles, le 9 mal 1910.
29
Profils associatifs
LA FEDERATION MONDIALE DES VILLES JUMELEES
CITES UNIES (FMVJ)
La Fédération mondiale des villes jumelées-cités unies a tenu l'autre année son 9ême Congrès
à Pointe-à-Pitre Guadeloupe. A cette occasion, la Délégation Générale de la FMVJ, que dirige
M. Jean-Marie Bressand. a rappelé en trois affirmations la doctrine constante du Mouvement,
qui s'est développée au cours de ses différents congrès :
- les villes jumelées jouent, vis-a-vis des populations, un rôle irremplaçable d'instrument de
formation au métier de citoyen d'un monde fraternel et pacifique;
- cette animation à la base ne peut être fructueuse que si elle s'inscrit dans le cadre d'une organisation mondialiste, indépendante des idéologies et des blocs politiques, ainsi que des intérêts particuliers. Cette indépendance peut, seule, garantir l'authenticité et le réalisme du
dialogue qui doit s'instaurer entre tous;
- à tous les niveaux, cette animation doit être inspirée par une doctrine commune, élaborée et
acceptée par tous, débarrassée de toute arriére-pensée chauvine ou partisane, ouverte à toutes tes causes universellement humaines, trait d'union entre les CITES UNIES, base populaire
des NATIONS UNIES.
On trouvera dans ce dossier une formulation des principes et objectifs de la FMVJ en dix points
et un article de son Délégué Général M. Jean-Marie Bressand qui associe l'idée de coopération
internationale a celle de démocratie locale considérée comme une démocratie de participation
complémentaire à la démocratie de délégation.
Démocratie locale et coopération internationale
par Jean-Marie Bressand*
La Fédération Mondiale des Villes Jumelées-Cités Unies (FMVJ) a 20 ans. Elle a,
en effet, célèbre fin 1977. en Guadeloupe, à Pointe-à-Pitre, au cours de son
IXe Congrès, le 20éme anniversaire de
sa fondation (1).
En vingt ans d'un effort continu pour
développer la coopération internationale,
ses militants ont au moins appris une
chose : c'est qu'il n'y a pas de coopération possible sans la participation des
masses, sans l'exercice à la base communale d'une démocratie locale de participation, complétant la démocratie de
délégation (2).
« La démocratie ne consiste pas a mettre épisodiquement un bulletin dans une
urne, a déléguer les pouvoirs à un ou
plusieurs élus, puis a se désintéresser,
s'abstenir... Elle est action continuelle
du citoyen non seulement sur les affaires de l'Etat, mais sur, celles de la
région, de la commune, de la co-operation, de l'association, de la profession...
La démocratie n'est efficace que si elle
existe partout et en tout temps ».
Pierre MENDES-FRANCE
30
I. De la participation
Cependant, la volonté de participation,
même si elle est diffuse dans les masses,
y prend rarement une forme consciente
et organisée : de plus, elle se heurte, la
plupart du temps, à des habitudes, à des
inerties, qui tendent à la paralyser. Qu'il
s'agisse de la conspiration tacite des
hommes pour écarter les femmes, des
vieux pour écarter les jeunes, ou parfois
des jeunes pour supplanter les vieux, des
notables pour éloigner le vulgaire, des
colonisateurs pour dominer les colonisés, des appareils politiques pour ignorer
les inorganisés, des bureaucrates pour
rejeter les assujettis, le résultat est toujours le même : il revient à confisquer le
pouvoir de décision au profit d'une minorité, dans le meilleur cas régulièrement
investie, compétente et bienveillante,
mais enfin une minorité qui considérerait
comme un gaspillage de temps et une
atteinte à ses prérogatives une « consultation-information » régulière de l'ensemble de la population.
Supposons à présent cet obstacle franchi, admettons que la volonté profonde
des collectivités locales parvienne, tant
bien que mal, à s'exprimer. Elle va ren-
contrer sur sa route le pouvoir de tutelle
et son administration. Sans en nier, dans
te principe, la nécessité, ni la légitimité,
on doit constater dans les faits une tendance quasi congénitale des pouvoirs
centraux à empiéter sur les compétences
locales, tendance que facilité une évidente disproportion des moyens. Pour
essayer de compenser ce déséquilibre,
une réaction naturelle consiste à créer
des « unions » ou « associations » de
collectivités locales, et nous l'avons
nous-mêmes encouragée, parce que
nous la croyons saine. Mais de telles
unions ne sont pas des panacées; en
effet, ou bien elles n'ont aucun poids
politique et elles ne tardent pas à être
utilisées par le Pouvoir Central a qui elles
servent de paravent (plus ou moms
consentant) : le remède est alors pire
que le mal; ou bien, elles acquièrent un
poids politique et elles risquent d'être
• Délègue general de la Fédération Mondiale des Villes
Jumelées-Cités Unies
(1) La FMVJ a tenu une assemblée générale constitutive a Aix-les-Bains (France), en avril 1957
récupérées par des notabilités ou des
Partis qui s'arrogent ensuite le droit de
parler au nom des villes, sans prendre la
peine de les informer, ni de les consulter
sur tes Questions débattues.
Difficultés
de la vie associative
En dehors de cette mainmise, des milliers
de volontés, de bonnes volontés, voient
leurs efforts voués à l'impuissance. On
ne constate nulle part... les reformes de
fond, de structures, de conceptions, qui
permettraient a cette vie associative de
s'épanouir, de trouver une aide financière
autrement qu'assujettissante : la notion
que des associations, des collectivités
même publiques, comme les communes,
puissent recevoir, au titre des relations
humaines et de la coopération, une aide
officielle qui ne soit pas une aumône,
apparaît comme une aberration aux
gérants des fonds publics, nationaux ou
internationaux.
Seules,
bientôt,
ne
connaîtront une certaine prospérité, que
les associations asservies et celles montées de toutes pièces par des fonctionnaires technocrates et les membres de
cabinets ministériels à la recherche
d'avantages divers.
La société humaine offre, ainsi, l'aspect
paradoxal et peu rassurant d'une étoffe
où, après avoir ourdi avec beaucoup de
soin la chaîne verticale des hiérarchies,
on se serait contenté d'entrecroiser, de
loin en loin, quelques fils de la trame horizontale des solidarités. Le miracle, c'est
que l'étoffe ait tenu si longtemps.
La trame et
la chaîne
Cependant, il serait tout aussi absurde
de vouloir tisser une étoffe sans chaîne. Il
s'agit de coopérer, à tous les niveaux, et
non pas d'opposer les simples citoyens
aux pouvoirs locaux, ceux-ci aux pouvoirs étatiques, et ces derniers à la faible
autorité dont disposent les organisations
mondiales: si nous nous révélons incapables de créer autre chose que des tensions d'un nouveau genre, l'étoffe se
déchirera, dans un sens ou dans l'autre.
et nous aurons gaspillé nos dernières
chances. Mais, coopération implique
réciprocité : il est probablement exact
qu'aucun progrès substantiel ne pourra
plus être réalisé aux échelons supérieurs
sans le concours actif, sans l'initiative
réfléchie de la base; il est non moins
exact que lesdits échelons supérieurs
devront se décider à appliquer enfin le
« principe de subsidiarité », c'est-à-dire à
laisser aux pouvoirs subsidiaires la part
de décision et la part de moyens sans
lesquelles ceux-ci seront réduits à
l´'impuissance.
1. La Sauvegarde de la paix
par une lutte permanente pour les li-
re les excès du centralisme ou du
corporatisme se substituant à la vie
La F.M.V.J. en dix points
bertés fondamentales - notamment
la libre circulation des personnes,
des idées et de l'information -, contre toute forme de totalitarisme, d'impérialisme et de discrimination, pour
l'arrêt de la course insensée aux armements et la reconversion des budgets de guerre en dépenses de protection et d'épanouissement de la
vie humaine.
2. Une Nouvelle Coopération
par une participation des collectivités locales et des populations à la
lutte contre le sous-développement,
au moyen de jumelages communaux
entre le Nord et le Sud du monde,
dans la perspective d'un nouvel ordre économique mondial et d'une
meilleure répartition des ressources
naturelles.
3. Des Echanges Internationaux
Populaires
d'ordre culturel, social, économique,
scolaire, technique, touristique et
sportif, s'inscrivant dans le cadre de
jumelages actifs, ouverts sans discriminations à toute la population des
villes.
4. Une Education Bilingue
consacrant le droit de chacun d'acquérir une connaissance approfondie de sa langue maternelle, en
même temps que la pratique d'une
langue internationale, en vue de permettre la communication et le dialogue universel.
5. La Démocratie Locale
par la participation des citoyens aux
décisions qui les concernent et à la
gestion communale, par la lutte cont-
politique, par un soutien efficace de
la vie associative, par l'introduction,
dans l'enseignement, de l'étude des
différentes structures communales
et du droit comparé qui en découle.
6. La Promotion de l'Information
et la liberté de la presse écrite et audio-visuelle, donnant un reflet fidèle
de l'opinion publique dans sa diversité, sauvegardant le droit des minorités à se faire entendre, et procurant
aux collectivités locales une meilleure connaissance mutuelle.
7. L'Accès des Femmes
aux Responsabilités Communales
et aux diverses fonctions responsables de la vie civique locale, nationale
et internationale.
8. La Participation des Jeunes
à la vie communale et internationale,
par des jumelages, des rencontres et
des chantiers qui soient les « travaux
pratiques » d'une éducation civique
et internationale appliquée.
9. La Défense de l'Environnement
et de la Qualité de la Vie
par la préservation de la nature et de
l'équilibre biologique, par la lutte
contre les pollutions et les pollueurs,
pour une alimentation saine et suffisante, propre à faire disparaître la famine et la malnutrition dans le monde.
10, Un Urbanisme au Service de l'Homme
par la participation des citoyens à
l'aménagement des villes et des
communes rurales, à la protection
des sites et à l'amélioration du cadre
de vie.
31
L'écran universel
des bureaucraties
Toute machine un tant soit peu complexe
comporte des organes de transmission et
des dispositifs de sécurité qui, inévitablement, consomment une partie de l'énergie dont dispose la machine. La machine
sociale ne tait pas exception. Ses organes sont les services, les bureaux; mais il
arrive que la part d'énergie ainsi consommée soit telle qu'elle fasse penser à une
machine dont l'unique rôle serait de se
faire
marcher
elle-même.
Evidemment, le phénomène tend à
s'amplifier avec la complexité de la
machine. Encore aisément contrôlable
dans les petites collectivités, il l'est
moins dans les grosses agglomérations,
moins encore dans les Etats; entre un
ministre et son administration, savoir qui
détient la réalité du pouvoir n'est pas
toujours facile. Or, une telle administration, capable de tenir en échec celui qui
est son chef nominal, quelle considération pourrait-elle avoir pour la vie associative privée, plus riche d'idées et de
dévouement que de moyens matériels ?
Tout au plus, consent-elle à sacrifier à la
mode et à parler de participation puisque
tout le monde en parle.
La plupart du temps, cela consistera,
pour elle, à créer des pseudo-associations, dont le statut « privé » est un
trompe-l'œil apaisant, et à l'abri desquelles les choses iront leur petit train : c'est
aussi inoffensif qu'inefficace. Mais il
arrive aussi que ladite administration daigne « associer » à son action tel mouvement privé authentique, c'est-à-dire
qu'elle lui « emprunte » ses dossiers et
ses idées pour les reprendre à son
compte : on ne peut plus dire que le procédé soit inoffensif, mais on peut douter
qu'il soit plus efficace, car on augure ma)
d'une coopération qui serait fondée au
départ sur une tricherie de ce genre.
Cependant, c'est bien évidemment au
niveau le plus élevé, celui des organisations mondiales, que le système atteint
une sorte de perfection, avec une technocratie
admirablement
rodée
qui
convertit une fraction élevée des crédits
en plans, études préalables et missions.
Une organisation non gouvernementale
(ONG), fût-elle dotée du statut le plus
favorable - c'est notre cas - sera, au
mieux, admise à l'honneur de remplir des
questionnaires et de fournir des rapports
(car on ne conçoit pas une administration
sans dossiers); mais, il est hors de question qu'elle bénéficie d'un simple billet
d'avion qui pourrait, par exemple, déclencher un jumelage-coopération entre deux
communes du Nord et du Sud du monde.
Si la décennie du développement s'est
peu a peu muée en décennie de déception, la cause en est assurément multiple,
mais une responsabilité très lourde pèse
sur ces états-majors, non seulement
dépourvus d'infanterie, mais tout heureux
de l'être.
32
II. Pour une nouvelle
coopération
Quand les statisticiens nous disent que
l'espérance de vie d'un enfant qui naît
aujourd'hui est d'environ 70 ans dans le
monde industrialisé et de 30 dans le
monde sous-développê, ils altèrent en
partie la vérité; ils ont raison, certes,
d'attirer notre attention sur cette tragique
inégalité, mais ils devraient préciser
immédiatement que cette inégalité même
crée une probabilité d'affrontement planétaire telle qu'elle ôte toute signification
aux valeurs précédentes. En conséquence, les êtres humains qui naissent
actuellement, en pays développés ou
non, ont une très faible chance d'atteindre leurs limites théoriques de vie. Quant
au niveau de vie des survivants, mieux
vaut
ne
pas
l'imaginer.
Le monde a vécu jusqu'ici sur cet aphorisme ; « Le bien est le mal et le mal est le
bien: car le mal est utile et le bien ne
l'est pas » (Keynes). En d'autres termes,
la prospérité n'est possible, semble-t-il,
que si elle repose sur ces motivations
humaines puissantes que sont l'intérêt
égoïste,
la
convoitise,
l'envie.
Or, l'homme actuel ne saurait s'adonner
encore longtemps à un jeu plus stupide
que l'égoïsme, où il est sûr d'être perdant; et je n'entends pas seulement
l'égoïsme en quelque sorte actif qui cherche le profit aux dépens d'autrui, mais
aussi l'égoïsme passif qui consiste à
cultiver sa tranquillité personnelle en
laissant aux autres le soin de régler ses
propres affaires. Ou encore, si l'on considère qu'il est impossible à l'homme de
n'être pas égoïste de quelque façon,
disons que le seul égoïsme sensé
s'appelle désormais solidarité, coopération, participation de tous au sauvetage
de tous. Là est la vérité, la dure mais
salutaire vérité: le seul problème est d'y
faire face avec une totale sincérité qui
bannit
toute
démagogie.
Que peut-on, alors, attendre des gouvernements, des élus, des citoyens pour
s'engager dans la voie d'une nouvelle
coopération ?
Le rôle de l'Etat
Et d'abord, que peut-on attendre raisonnablement
des
gouvernements
?
A maintes reprises, il nous est arrivé de
critiquer
les
politiques
étatiques;
d'autres, avant nous d'ailleurs, avaient
appelé l'Etat « le plus froid de tous les
monstres froids». Cependant, malgré
ses défauts évidents et ses énormes
maladresses, l'institution étatique a traversé les siècles : c'est sans doute
qu'elle avait une justification profonde, à
savoir : faire prévaloir l'intérêt général sur
les égoïsmes individuels ou collectifs,
ces derniers n'étant pas les moins acharnés.
On peut reprocher à l'Etat d'avoir plus ou
moms bien réussi suivant les lieux et les
époques (parfois même d'avoir lente de
justifier son pouvoir totalitaire par l'argument de l'intérêt général). On peut
dénoncer sa lourdeur, voire sa dureté
Mais on ne peut pas le blâmer en tant
qu'Etat, tant qu'on n'a pas créé à la base
les conditions qui rendraient son existence
moins
astreignante.
Parallèlement, si les Etats apparaissent
comme l'incarnation des égoïsmes nationaux, c'est qu'ils ont été faits pour cela
et. au fond, ils ont rempli leur mission au
cours d'une longue suite de conflits
diplomatiques, économiques ou militaires, parfois pour une légitime défense,
plus souvent pour un impérialisme
conquérant
Dans la conjoncture, n'attendons pas
autre chose des Etats que des rencontres internationales qui les conduisent
plus à identifier les termes des conflits
qu'à en imaginer les solutions.
« Aujourd'hui, il faut indispensablement
passer de la démocratie formelle et
représentative à la démocratie de participation. Dans ce contexte se situent
les dix objectifs de la Fédération Mondiale des Villes Jumelées-Cités Unies,
avec lesquels je suis entièrement
d'accord ».
(Extrait du Message de Daniel ODUBER, alors Président de la République
de Costa-Rica, au IXe Congrès de la
FMVJ).
Le rôle
des Nations Unies
Certes, notre siècle a vu naître, après
l'échec de la Société des Nations, l'Organisation des Nations Unies dont nous
souhaitons tous le succès. Mais les
tares, inhérentes aux Etats - bureaucratie, technocratie et. de façon plus générale, centralisme - s'aggravent dés que
les gouvernements s'associent dans des
institutions internationales. La coopération internationale s'est révélée très
lourde par ses procédures, très lente
dans ses réalisations, très coûteuse par
ses frais administratifs, très mal adaptée
par ses programmes conçus sur les
modèles de la civilisation industrielle.
Les « Décennies du développement », a
dit le Président Habib Bourguiba.« ont
engendré de très nombreuses déceptions, leurs méthodes ont été mises en
question et elles risquent de provoquer
un
découragement
général
».
(8e
Congrès de la FMVJ, Dakar, décembre
1973).
Finalement, les premiers mots de la
Déclaration de San Francisco: » Nous,
les Peuples...», se sont traduits dans les
faits par : « Nous, les Etats... »
Sans doute n'y avait-il pas d'autre moyen
de faire démarrer la pesante machine de
l'ONU et, à tout prendre, une juxtaposition d'intérêts vaut mieux qu'un conflit
déclare. Toujours est-il que les Etatsmembres ne sont restés que trop fidèles
à leur vocation première et que. seule, la
volonté des Peuples-membres - dont on
ne parle jamais - pourrait infléchir une
institution internationale, comme l'ONU
ou l'UNESCO, vers une recherche directe
et coordonnée de la coopération et de la
paix.
planétaire, les libertés communales
n'existent pratiquement pas. Comment,
dans ces conditions, les élus locaux
pourraient-ils avoir un sens suffisant des
responsabilités ?
Quant aux masses, elles commencent à
peine à s'ouvrir à l'idée de l'interdépendance, et la vie associative populaire, on
l'a vue, se trouve constamment en danger d'être récupérée par les pouvoirs et
les groupes de pression divers.
Les pouvoirs de décision,
les élus et les citoyens
Cités Unies
Que peut-on attendre des peuples ?
C'est-à-dire, d'une part, de leur élus
dans les divers Parlements et Assemblées ou Conseils locaux, d'autre part,
des
citoyens
eux-mêmes
?
Le pouvoir de décision, dans ce domaine,
échappe aux élus. Ils semblent impuissants face aux groupes de pression politiques, militaires, économiques surtout,
qui se manifestent de façon ouverte ou
occulte. Le centralisme des gouvernements tend à réduire leur rôle. A l'échelle
II n'y a pourtant pas d'autres moyens
pour créer les conditions d'un nouvel
ordre mondial que de s'engager sur la
voie d'une participation consciente de
tous les citoyens aux affaires de la cité et
à
la
vie
internationale.
C'est cette conviction, née progressivement de notre expérience, qui explique
l'évolution de la Fédération Mondiale des
Villes Jumelées-Cités Unies (FMVJ). Le
Citoyen du monde de demain doit aussi
apprendre à être un citoyen de sa commune, à assumer droits et devoirs et.
d'abord, à conquérir la maîtrise de sa
propre existence, à revendiquer le premier de tous les droits dans les sociétés
de technocrates et d'ordinateurs qui pensent pour nous, le droit à l'information. le
droit de demander des comptes aux élus
comme aux fonctionnaires, de lutter
aussi bien contre les excès de l'administration centrale qu'éventuellement contre
le pouvoir solitaire et parfois totalitaire de
certains
élus
et
notables
locaux.
Sans songer à se substituer a l'action
des Etats, la FMVJ a reconnu, par expérience, que l'action inter-Etats peut être
complétée et surtout humanisée, personnalisée, libérée des contraintes bureaucratiques et d'hypothèques politiques,
grâce à une entraide au niveau des collectivités de base. Cela explique qu'au
cours d'une nouvelle étape - en gros, la
dernière décennie - la notion même de
villes jumelées, sans rien perdre de sa
signification initiale, se soit élargie peu
à peu à la notion de Cités Unies; entendons par là des collectivités qui unissent
leurs efforts sur la base de la participation et, à partir de là, pour une coopêra-
IXe Congres - XXe anniversaire de la Fédération Mondiale des Villes Jumélées
Cités - Unies
Pointe-á-Pitre - Guadeloupe - 29 octobre - 2 novembre 77.
33
tion mondiale intercommunale dans les
domaines les plus divers : aide au développement, certes, mats également intervention des intéressés eux-mêmes dans
tous tes problèmes Qui les concernent.
L'exemple le plus récent, au mois de mai
1977. après trois conférences préparatoires, a été la création d'une Union des
Villes de la Méditerranée, avec ce triple
objectif : concertation dans la lutte contre
la pollution marine et pour la protection
des sites, effort collectif de promotion de
la culture méditerranéenne, mais aussi
sauvegarde de l'identité culturelle de
chacun
des
peuples
riverains.
On en arrive tout naturellement au Nouvel Ordre International, non seulement
économique, mais social, éducatif, politique, qui ne pourra se bâtir qu'à partir
d'un changement des mentalités et d'une
action
concertée
de
la
base.
Pourquoi ?
- Parce que les rapports internationaux
sont bloqués entre des Etats dont les uns
sont possesseurs d'énergie, de technologie et de moyens de paiement, d'autres
qui ont des matières premières ou de
l'énergie sans technologie, et inversement, d'autres, enfin, tout en bas de
l'échelle, qui ne possèdent ni énergie, ni
technologie, ni finances;
- Parce que le système des Nations
Unies, qu'on prétend irremplaçable, est
tout aussi bloqué par les contradictions
et les intérêts divergents des Etats et, au
demeurant, paralysé par une bureaucratie galopante et une véritable « boulimie » administrative, sans parier d'une
technocratie abstraite qui a hissé le
« Plan », le « Projet », le « Programme »,
« l'Etude préalable ». à la hauteur d'institutions d'autant plus ambitieuses et
idéalement parfaites qu'elles sont plus
rarement soumise à fa contre-épreuve
des réalisations;
- Enfin, parce qu'il n'y a pas de danger
plus grand que l'impérialisme pour l'exercice des libertés, y compris pour les libertés communales et les relations humaines et qu'il importe d'y faire front, comme
à toute violence injustifiable, à toute
résurgence du fascisme, du racisme, du
totalitarisme, à toute tentative de discrimination.
A l'échelon communal, chacun le sait,
des barrières, jugées insurmontables à
un autre niveau, peuvent être brisées. Un
dialogue et une coopération intercommunale, à la condition de se tisser en vastes
réseaux, comme celui auquel nous faisions allusion dans le cadre méditerranéen, demain dans la Manche, en Baltique ou dans la Caraïbe, devraient
conduire à défricher de nouvelles formes
de rapports sociaux et de relations internationales, constituant des courants de
pression capables de contrebalancer les
pesanteurs du système des Etats et les
coalitions d'intérêt des grandes firmes
transnationales.
Nous croyons fermement, avec l'expérience de ces années de pratique de la
vie communale et internationale, que
seule une véritable mobilisation démocratique qui ne soit pas une coalition de
politiques politiciennes, mais la prise en
charge collective des besoins profonds
qui sont communs à tous les nommes,
antérieurement à tout ce qui les divise
socialement, politiquement, philosophiquement, religieusement, peut venir à
bout des redoutables problèmes d'un
monde condamné à coopérer ou à disparaître.
La Fédération Mondiale des Villes Jumelées-Cités Unies, qui n'est pas seulement un organisme de liaison entre les
communes, mais un exprit. une méthode,
offre une voie nouvelle pour déboucher
sur une coopération pratique, altruiste et
sans frontière, capable d'aider les hommes à se libérer des carcans des vieilles
structures, des idées toutes faites, des
préjugés paralysants, des antagonismes
dépassés, des égoïsmes aveugles et
redoutables, pour aider l'humanité à
aborder sans drame inutile, un nouvel
âge, l'âge de la raison et de la solidarité.
Du droit à l'éducation bilingue...
... au droit à la fonction transnationale
Deux propositions d'adjonction à la Déclaration Universelle des Droits de l'Homme (Art.
26, 1) ont été formulées par la FMVJ et le Centre Mondial d'Information sur l'Education
Bilingue (CMIEB), Institut spécialisé de la Fédération, à l'occasion du 30ème anniversaire
de la Déclaration des Droits de l'Homme. L'une de ces propositions tend à affirmer le droit
à une éducation bilingue, l'autre à la fonction transnationale.
En voici les deux textes :
«A u bénéfice de la communauté humaine
et de la compréhension entre les peuples,
toute personne à droit à une éducation
bilingue. A savoir:
1. droit a la connaissance approfondie de
la langue maternelle,
2. droit a la connaissance utile d'une langue vivante de communication mondiale
qui, par delà la culture nationale qu'elle
reçoit et doit recevoir, lui permette de
participer pleinement et directement à la
culture mondiale et au dialogue universel ».
(Proposition d'adjonction à la « Déclaration
Universelle des Droits de l'Homme » (Art26,1). Présentée a la XXIIIéme Assemblée
Générale des Nations Unies en 1968, par la
Fédération Mondiale des Villes Jumelées Cités Unies).
34
« Toute personne, ou collectivité non gouvernementale, peut revendiquer le droit à la
fonction transnationale dans un domaine
sans cesse élargi, civique et social, économique, scientifique et spirituel, et peut prétendre dans l'exercice de cette vocation
non seulement à la neutralité bienveillante
mais encore, au soutien matériel et moral
de ceux qui sont leurs mandataires nationaux et internationaux : les Etats, les
Nations Unies et Institutions spécialisées.
» Ce droit d'appartenir à l'ensemble de
l'humanité et d'en partager complètement
l'histoire, est né de la constatation, de plus
en plus évidente, qu'une interdependence
étroite des problèmes du monde contemporain unit tous les peuples dans une même
recherche pour un Nouvel Ordre International, capable d'instaurer la justice et la
paix. »
Photo Inbel
HONG KONG as a meeting place
by A.B. Chalktey and
B.T. lldefonso*
In line with its concern to demonstrate the nature of association activity and of the
congress movement world-wide, our Review is pleased to publish on this occasion a
collection of information about Hong Kong, an attractive part of the world but also a
centre of international and transnational meetings.
From this readers will be able to judge that the communication revolution is broadening the possibilities for meeting and for the solidarity of mankind.
Répondant à son souci de montrer la vie des associations et le mouvement des
congrès dans l'ensemble mondial de leurs manifestations, notre Revue publie volontiers cette fois un article présentant une information attrayante sur Hong-Kong,
beau lieu du monde, mais aussi centre de rencontres internationales et transnationales.
On jugera que de nos jours, la révolution des communications tend à universaliser
toujours davantage le champ des rendez-vous de la société solidaire des hommes.
Situation
Hong Kong is situated midway in what is
becoming known as the « Pacific growth
rim » countries of East and Southeast
Asia, comprising Korea. Japan. Taiwan,
and the five nations of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Thailand. Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia
and the Philippines. This region has in recent years experienced one of the highest economic growth rates, in real terms,
in the world. The stage of « take-off, into
sustained development ». which has
been the hope of all developing countries
since the Second World War. has definitely been reached in this region. There
is taking place among these countries a
determined drive to raise real incomes,
diversify activities, modernise economic
systems without losing sight of cultural
heritage, and diffuse the benefits of prosperity
among
all
the
people.
Hong Kong also stands as a great gateway into China, and has become the
main trading and communications link
with that nation. Its pre-eminence as a
trading and business-contact port is now
137 years old, it having maintained its
world-wide links with Europe, the Americas. the Middle East, South East Asia,
Africa and Australasia, broken only by
periods of world war. its experience in the
ways of international trade is almost unrivalled: few other ports and cities can
boast the width and depth of international contacts for such a continuous period.
And yet Hong Kong is not merely an
entrepot, a transshipment point, and a
meetingplace for bargaining. It began
that way. but in recent decades Hong
Kong has become a manufacturing economy in its own right; it does not subsist
alone on commissions and contract fees,
but a large and growing proportion of the
economy's income is from the processing
and finishing of final goods, the quality of
which has been steadily raised over recent years until many of its products are
well «up-market» in the world's consuming nations.
A short description of Hong Kong's basic
economy would give an observer little
clue to its recent development. It has a
land area of only 1.049 square kilometres
(404 square miles), of which some 80 %
is mountainous; it is composed of a small
area of the Chinese mainland, and dozens of offshore islands, the largest of
which are only now being developed.
It is one of the most densely populated
places in the world. Total population is
now over 4.75 million, comparable to that
of Norway - but the overall density of
population is over 4.300 people per
square kilometre, and in some highlyurbanised areas this density reaches
towards 30,000 per square kilometre.
Add to this demographic picture another
element: Hong Kong has almost no raw
materials - little building stone, some tiny
mining projects, inshore fisheries, and
forested areas which are uneconomic to
develop in any other way than as recreational parks, « lungs » for the crowded
city areas and picturesque steep-sided
islands for yachtsmen to prowl round on
sunny days. The so-called « New Territories » were leased to the Colony originally as farming land to enable it to grow its
own food; to-day, these lands could not
possibly support the people, certainly not
in basic foodstuffs like rice and vegetables; the New Territories are chiefly valuable for supplying the famous ducks and
chickens to grave the fabulous restaurant tables of Hong Kong, and a range of
ornamental trees and flowers. What is
more, the New Territories are now the
site of a massive new town development;
four cityscapes are rising there which,
when fully built, will be lived in and
worked in by over 2 million people alone,
and the agricultural role of the old leased
area
shrinks
every
year.
For Hong Kong, therefore, self-sufficiency is impossible. Nearly all its raw materials and its food (and its fuels) have to be
imported. Hong Kong has really only one
« raw material » - the energy and the
skills of its people. Its economic system,
- This survey was written by A.B. Chatkley and B.T, ll defonso, of the editorial staft of two regional business
magazines based to Hong Kong. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Mono Kong Tourist
Photos Courtesy Hong Kong Tourist Association.
35
Hong Kong meeting place
The russet-coloured sails of a fishing junk are still a common sight in Hong Kong's harbour. On the waterfront of Hong Kong Island is the 52-storey Connaught Centre. Asia's tallest
building.
its society, its domestic political philosophy, all reflect this overriding element.
Hong Kong is a "people » place.
More than 98 % of the population is Chinese, with the majority from the province
of Kwangtung originally, and speaking
the Cantonese dialect. There are actually
about 83,000 foreigners in Hong Kong
drawn from a wide range of countriesWhatever your country and whatever
your language, you can probably find a
compatriot within hours. Yet Hong Kong
is not a « fly-by-night » place of shortterm residents: it is sometimes said that
its inhabitants go there to « make money
and then get out ». This is far from being
true - 60 % of the population is localborn; some 80 % of the people living
there have « adopted » Hong Kong as
their home (and that includes a growing
number of Caucasians, of whom an unexpectedly large group have retired there in
recent years).
Of course, as the history of Hong Kong
warns, it has always been under threat of
sudden political change; it is also continually under the threat of severe economic
damage if world trading should recede, or
if protectionism should Int Hong Kong's
vulnerable exports. Nevertheless, there
has grown up a kind of inchoate local
36
« loyalty » and pride. There is such a
thing as a « Hongkongian ». and he may
be Chinese, British, American, Australian,
Indian. Sri Lankan...
Hong Kong is thus unique, in almost
every way - socially, economically, politically. The fact that it makes its own living, receives no foreign aid, copes with
its own economic and social problems as
best it can, and stays solvent, is description enough. Visitors to Hong Kong for
the first time may well get a shock : it is
so busy, it is so crowded in its urban areas, it exhibits poor places and rich
places, ugly parts and beautiful parts; it is
being
perpetually
rebuilt
and
reequipped, its roads are busy day and
night, its harbour never at rest; the old
and the new jostle for attention. It is Manhattan Island, New York; it is Birmingham,
England; it is Shanghai and Tokyo and
Canberra and (in places) rural Wales, all
at once. Peking Opera and Oktoberfest;
cognac-tasting and Kabuki play; Indian
dancers and the tolling Buddhist bells;
computer seminars and West End farces;
syndicated bank loan signings and
barbecues: giant trading houses and
sidewalk hawkers; digital watches and
disco dancing. Physically at the Asian
crossroads, Hong Kong is also a crossroad of commerce and culture.
History
Historically, Hong Kong is in two parts.
Treaties of 1842 and 1860 with China
gave Britain, outright and forever, the offshore island, called « Victoria » officially
but generally known now as « Hong Kong
Island », plus a small foothold on the
mainland
opposite,
called
Kowloon
(which in Chinese means « Nine Dragons -, and refers to eight hills and an emperor).
But another treaty, of 1898, gave Britain
a 99-year lease on a larger piece of the
mainland from Kowloon up to the Shum
Chun river, and a further 235 offshore islands, most of which are small and unpopulated to this day. The lease, legally,
ends in 1997. But there have been a
number of changes in the government of
China since 1898. and the successors of
the Ching Dynasty of that era, the People's Republic of China, have neither
confirmed nor denied the currency of that
lease - or. indeed, of the earlier grants.
As at the moment of writing, the Peking
authorities merely say that discussion of
the future of Hong Kong in its entirety will
take place when the « time is ripe »,
Meanwhile, relations between Peking
and the Hong Kong authorities have
probably never been better than they are
to-day. Movement across the border is
controlled, but recently there have been
many liberalisations; tourism is now actively encouraged by China and trading
relations are increasing every day. Much
of the financing of China's development
effort is arranged in Hong Kong, and a
great deal of Chinese trade goes physically through Hong Kong arbour and airport.
All these exchanges are of mutual benefit
to both parties and to third parties in the
world of trade and other relations.
Hong Kong is one of the last British Colonies in the world, a relic of the Empire
that at its zenith ruled nearly half the global population. It is still governed by an
appointed legislature, with a Governor
appointed by the Queen of England at its
head. There is an urban council, of which
half the members are elected by limited
franchise, and whose responsibilities are
the « housekeeping ,, chores of the urban
area - sanitation, food sales licensing,
markets, cemeteries and the like - and a
growing array of sports and cultural facilities.
Otherwise, Hong Kong is governed by a
professional civil service, which however
consults closely with local groups of all
kinds, from small rural Chinese associa-
tions to the big banking and commercial
institutions. In general, the political philosphy of the government, in its various
mechanisms, is the encouragement of
free entreprise, low taxation, efficient
budgeting and minimum intervention in
economic affairs. But at the same time,
the Hong Kong government has mounted
the largest public housing programme in
the non-Communist world compared to
its population, and its spending on social
services is high and everrising. Taxation
is buoyant - that is to say, if economic
activity increases, tax revenue accelerates (currently, the fiscal-year budget will
be in a large surplus, despite steeply rising expenditures).
The defence of Hong Kong is a British responsibility, although only small and
shrinking units of the Navy, Army and Air
Force are actually stationed there; and
Hong Kong is paying an increasing part
of the cost. One colourful relic of the historical British Army presence in Hong
Kong is the stationing of Gurkha Regiments, recruited from a district of Nepal
for many decades, and the sight of these
sturdy warriors, dressed in Scottish-type
uniforms and playing the Scottish bagpipes on ceremonial occasions, is one of
the many strange and delightful sights
The New Territories. Hong Kong's rural region, with old-style Chinese villages and
farm-plots, still a welcome change from urban bustle.
Facilities.
Rapidly rising economic activity within
the East and Southeast Asian region, and
within Hong Kong itself, has sparked off
an equally rapid increase in business
travel in this part of the world. For reasons of its central location and its excel-,
lent communications and services, Hong
Kong has benefited from this upsurge to
a remarkable degree, as will be shown later in this analysis.
The demand for hotel rooms, meeting facilities, fair and exhibition space, and all
the many services which visitors require,
has been met with a vast - and still ongoing - supply. At the time of writing, Hong
Kong has 15 major meeting locations.
and
sounds
of
Hong
Kong.
The history of Hong Kong is itself
strange. In its 137 years, there have been
many occasions when it might have disappeared from the political and economic
face of the earth. Disturbance on the
neighbouring mainland, two world wars,
global trade depressions, sharp in-fighting among the big nations over economic
and political influence, the rapid granting
of independence to British colonies the
world over since 1945, the very decline of
Britain itself as a superpower - all or any
of these could have wiped out Hong
Kong. It could to-day be a small porttown, or a much decayed fishing harbour,
or
even
a
ghost
town.
Something, many things, « saved » Hong
Kong. Resilience, flexibility, energy, a refusal to feel despair, a doggedness
among the people, a determination to
build for the future even when there appeared to be no future. This is the atmosphere of Hong Kong, and it is accepted
by everyone from the fisher-folk, who live
on boats to this day in the crowded harbours, to the « taipans » - the leaders of
the great commercial houses - and the
officials who work the unique « system »
that is Hong Kong, and have done so
from the beginning.
But this is another part of the New Territories, busting into life with new towns for
with space for groups numbering between 200 and 2,000 and above participants. This figure is exclusive of an even
vaster number of smaller function rooms,
usually with full catering services, which
are to be found in hotels, commercial
buildings, consulates and shopping complexes widely dispersed throughout the
Colony, even in the smaller urban areas
such as Aberdeen, Repulse Bay, and
many parts of the urban Kowloon area on
the mainland. These are in great demand
for press conferences, small exhibitions,
specialised seminars, regional board
meetings, syndicate spin-off from larger
meetings, official and commercial ceremonies and cultural shows of all kinds.
The 15 major venues are as follows :
1. The Excelsior Hotel and Convention
Centre, located in Causeway Bay, a short
ride from the central commercial centre
on Hong Kong Island, and close to the
under-the-harbour
road-traffic
tunnel
which leads to the mainland. The hotel
has 998 rooms, first-class rated and with
full modern services, three restaurants,
three bars, two coffee shops, nightclubs,
sauna, shopping arcade and sports facilities. The Convention Centre has the
large Palace conference rooms, with a
capacity for 1,200 people, and the Oriental rooms divisible into six suites with a
total capacity of 1,500 people. The Palace is fully equipped with a stage and
37
modern electronic equipment for a large
presentation or conference, and full catering services are available in all
spaces, including large concourses.
2. Furama Intercontinental Hotel, located
in the Central district of Hong Kong Island. The hotel has two ballrooms, and
three large meeting rooms, with capacities ranging from 1,000 to 120 people.
The sleeping accommodation is 570
rooms, fully and modernly equipped, with
restaurants (including a revolving restaurant with attractive view of the island
and harbour), bars, night-club, shopping
complex.
3. Hong Kong Hilton Hotel, in the central
district of the island, with 800 guest
rooms, has a grand ballroom (in which
western plays are frequently mounted
from a fully-equipped stage) with a capacity for 800 people, and nine function
rooms ranging from 150 to 35 peopleThe hotel has restaurants, bars, outdoor
swimming pool, sauna and shopping arcade.
4. Holiday Inn Hotel, on the waterfront of
Kowloon. in the « tourist playground » of
Tsim Sha Tsui, with 588 guest rooms,
restaurant, bars, sauna and health club
and shopping arcade. The hotel has a
ballroom with a capacity for 850 people,
and four function rooms ranging from 375
to 90 people.
5. Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Kowloon's tourism « golden mile », with 786 guest
rooms, restaurants, bars, night club and
shopping arcade. The hotel has a ballroom with a capacity for 500 people, and
another function room holding 120 people.
6. Lee Gardens Hotel, in the Causeway
Bay area, with 825 guest rooms, restaurants, bars and shopping arcade. The
hotel has five meeting rooms, ranging
from 200 to 40 people capacity.
Contrast of old and new in Hong Kong´s business district - the Hong Kong Club on the left foreground and
the Supreme Court on the right with today's office
blocks and hotels looming over them
38
7. Mandarin Hotel, in the central district
of Hong Kong island, a luxury hotel of
585 guest rooms, with shopping arcade.
The hotel has three meeting rooms with
capacities for 400 to 40 people and (as
with most other function rooms in the
larger hotels) these can be opened on to
one another for variable space availability.
8. Miramar Hotel, in Kowloon's » golden
mile », with 1,155 guest rooms, restaurants, bars, night club, sauna and shopping arcade. The hotel has two large convention hall areas, divisible into smaller
spaces, with a total of 22,800 square feet
including food preparation areas, and
capable of holding 2,500 participants, in
theatre style, and 3,000 for a cocktail
party.
9. New World Hotel, on the Kowloon waterfront and near the under-the-harbour
tunnel to Hong Kong island, with 753 guest rooms, restaurants, bars, outdoor
swimming pool, sauna, nightclub and
large shopping complex. The hotel has
meeting capacity for between 550 and
140 people, and large parking facilities.
002010- Plaza Hotel, in Causeway Bay,
with 830 guest rooms, restaurants, bars,
night-club, shopping arcade. The hotel
has function rooms, with capacity ranging
from
350
people
to
25
people.
11. The Regent of Hong Kong, due to
open in spring, 1980, in Kowloon's
«golden mile», with 610 guest rooms,
restaurants, bars, sauna and shopping
arcade. The hotel will have exhibition and
function spaces with capacity ranging
from 1,800 to 150 people, including a
9,800-square-foot ballroom with a ceiling
height of 17 feet and industrial lift capacity.
12. Sheraton-Hong Kong Hotel, in Kowloon's «golden mile», with 922 guest
rooms, restaurants, bars, night-clubs,
sauna, health club, swimming pool and
six-storey shopping mall. The hotel has a
ballroom with a capacity of 720 people,
and other function rooms with capacities
ranging from 120 to 60 people.
In addition to these hotel facilities, there
are three large non-hotel facilities, as follows :
1. Hong Kong Arts Centre, situated on
Hong Kong island waterfront, close to the
central district and to Causeway Bay
hotels and shopping areas. The centre
has two fully-equipped theatres and a
recital hall, together with practice rooms,
artists' studio, reception room, restaurant
and club. The main theatre will seat 463
people.
2. The City Hall, on the harbour side of
the centrai district of Hong Kong island,
with a concert hall seating 1.488 people,
a theatre seating 467, a recital hall for
116 and a lecture hall for 120; there are
also two committee rooms seating 20
people each. Together with the Arts Centre, the City Hall has become the venue
for a growing number of cultural events in
Hong Kong, including the annual Hong
Kong Arts Festival and Festival of Asian
Arts, and the City Hall is the « home » of
the Colony's own Symphony Orchestra.
3. Academic Community Hall, part of the
Baptist College, a leading institution of
further education in Hong Kong, and sited
on the northern side of Kowloon. on the
routes to the New Territories via the famous Lion Rock tunnel. The hall seats up
to 1.420 people. Only recently opened, it
is fully equipped with the latest equipment and of modern acoustic design.
There are four smaller rooms for meetings
and
two
lounges.
In addition to these major venues, there
are three other hotels with functionroom
facilities, all with their especial « flavour » :
But now you have the choice of crossing by the traffic tunel
under the harbour - quicker but not so picturesque.
1. The Peninsula Hotel, on Kowloon's
harbour-front, among the most famous
hotels in all of Asia, which has 340 luxury
guest rooms, and three divisible function
areas, with capacities ranging from 100
to 25 people.
2. Hong Kong Hotel, right beside the famous Star Ferry across the harbour, with
790 guest rooms, and function areas with
meeting capacities ranging from 150 to
75 people.
3. Park Hotel, in Kowloon's harbour-side,
with 450 guest rooms and meeting facilities with capacities ranging from 160 to
60 people.
There is also arising on the Kowloon harbour-front a new Cultural Centre, which
will have a space museum, historical museum, library, restaurant, theatre, concert
hall and lecture and conference rooms,
located near the cross-harbour ferries
and traffic tunnel, the lively tourist centres and the « golden mile ». In addition to
providing additional meeting space, for
up to 4.500 people the centre will add interest to visitors' itinerar.
Even this listing does not fully cover all
the facilities in Hong Kong. The Colony
has over 50 international-standard hotels
(including some in the New Territories and the world-famous Repulse Bay Hotel
with its fabled Sunday buffet lunch and
its gardens and beach-front). As of mid1978, some 13,800 hotel rooms were
available in Hong Kong, and by 1981 this
total will rise to 17,300. The range of
room-tariffs is quite wide : there are
ard hotels, some 25 medium-tariff hotels,
and a group of hostels and guest houses.
The rapid development of new hotel capacity has arisen from the soaring visitor
statistics, and the resulting high occupancy records of the leading hotels.
There have been some recent months
when occupancy has been over 90 %, so
it cannot be stressed too much that firm
bookings should be made as far ahead
as possible for groups of a significant
size.
Hong Kong also has two universities and
two colleges of further education which,
during the summer months, can offer accommodation and meeting facilities on
very moderate terms, with capacities
ranging from 700 to 40 people.
But participants at meetings and conferences do not spend all their time in hotel
rooms and function rooms and halls. First
of all, they have to get to the venue, and
when work and pleasure are completed,
they
have
to
get
home
again.
Hong Kong's airport at Kai Tak is one of
the most convenient in the world; it is in
the midst of the urban area, on an artificially-built « jetty » airstrip extending into
the harbour, within sight of the commercial district, the tourist areas and the hotels. Through the harbour traffic tunnel,
the journey from airport to an island hotel
can take as little as 15 minutes, and even
in heavy traffic is unlikely to take more
than half an hour. Of course, in due time,
the airport will have to be moved, probably to a nearby outer island, and connected with the mainland by bridges and tunnels. But for the moment, you land - and
quite safely - in the midst of the amazing
cityscape
that
is
Hong
Kong.
The airport is served by no fewer than 27
scheduled airlines, linking Hong Kong
with 62 major cities of the world - 27 of
been running at about 14,000 arrivals
and departures per day. Hong Kong, incidentally, is the world's most « popular «
charter flight destination, for both passenger
charters
and
air
cargo.
Air travel to and from Hong Kong is therefore an « open sky » business, and what
is more, the great variety of routes and
airlines, and the large proportion of nonstop flights, make Hong Kong a place
which is easy and quick to arrive at, and
the fare structure is moderate - in fact,
there are many « bargain ». fares to be
had from all countries with good planning
and negotiation by organisers of meetings. In to-day's air-travel world, distance
and time have shrunk; a generation ago,
it might have taken up to four months to
go from Europe to Hong Kong; now it
takes as little as 15 hours. Time and money are saved, to be devoted to good
meetings, good contacts and a host of
leisure activities, in this microcosm of the
vibrant new Asia.
But decisions to hold a meeting, in any
venue on earth, does require advance
planning. Hong Kong has a special department of its Tourist Associaton which
is specially geared to assist planners of
meetings with all aspects of planning and
organisation. The Hong Kong Tourist Association is the official government-sponsored body for tourism & conference
promotion, and its advice and services
are completely impartial, confidential
and tailored specifically to organisers'
requirements.
There are three broad areas where the
Conferences and Meetings Department
Hong Kong's World Trade Centre and Convention
Centre building, linked with its neighbouring hotel.
district, and by the nearby cross-harbour tunnel to the
non-schedule carriers, operating an average of 90 flights weekly to and from the
U.S., Europe, Japan and the Southeast
Asian countries. The passenger terminal
can handle 4,000 people an hour at peak,
and the daily throughout in 1978 has
39
FLYING TIMES TO & FROM HONG KONG
(HOURS. MINUTES)
tions systems - telephone cable, facsimile, air-parcel, couriers, data transmission, telex, instant transmittal of
funds (there is no currency control in
Hong Kong), and a vast array of banking
and commercial services. Hong Kong incidentally, is the third busiest banking
centre after London and New York; it has
over 800 commercial bank branches in
its tiny land area; it has over 300 merchant bank and finance company concerns, dealing in every currency and
every kind of finance; the great banking
houses of the world are represented
here. Money transactions of all kinds are
carried out speedily and accurately in
Hong Kong, it being among the freest
markets in the world, and yet among the
best organised and professionally regulated.
The description of the facilities given thus
far covers only the present and the immediate future. On the drawing boards and
under construction in Hong Kong are
many more facilities of a wide nature,
from economy-tariff to millionaire style.
There is room here to mention only a
few:
of the Association can help organisers deciding to hold the meeting in Hong
Kong, planning and promoting the meeting, and continuing co-operation with organisers as the meeting progresses.
Even in to-day's world, with quick communications, it can be difficult for organisers at a distance to ensure that negotiations and bookings are carried out efficiently, that the hundred-and-one details
of travel, accommodation and facilities
are firmly tied down, and that the whole
operation is economically yet pleasurably
completed.
Hong Kong prides itself on its businesslike attitude - and that means two things,
efficiency in supplying goods and services, and at the most moderate cost.
The Association will assist with presentations of formal bids to committees and
Boards of Management, with the co-ordination of inspection visits by organisers, and with introductions to reliable
The Association can also liaise with local
dignitaries, government departments, public relations concerns, and the mass
media, to enliven a meeting, render it
more relevant and obtain local and worldwide interest. And, of course, it will advise and assist in the procedures necessary for immigration and customs clearance and entry. It will also help to provide
promotional literature for mailing to potential participants, and to generate maximum interest and attendance (such material can be overprinted with the organiser's own text).
To accomplish all this, Hong Kong provides one of the world's best communica-
• A small beach hotel is being built on
Cheung Chau, a small island to the west
of Hong Kong proper, famous for its miniature rural beauty and festivals. Another
similar hotel is planned for Silvermine
Bay, a favourite recreational spot for
Hong Kong's city-bound people on the island of Lantau. the large offshore island
Busy, broad-minded Kowloon. This is part of the « Golden Mile - of hotels, shops and places of entertainment in the
Tsimshatsui district. But Kowloon is also Hong Kong's major manufacturing area; It works hard and plays hard.
ers, travel agents, audio-visual and interpretation equipment companies, through
its comprehensive membership and its
close links with the Hong Kong Hotels
Association and the Hong Kong Association
of
Travel
Agents.
It can also assist with contacts which
make all the difference between a dull,
workaday conference and a fascinating
experience. In Hong Kong there are many
professional organisations, industrial and
commercial bodies, and cultural groups.
with whom to confer for business or personal reasons and pleasure, either in advance or on the spot.
40
• There are at least five more new luxury
hotels to rise in the east Tsim Sha Tsui
area - between the existing Kowloon
tourism district and the under-the-harbour tunnel, and along the redeveloped
h arbour-front, with its exciting view of the
great harbour and the island of Hong
Kong (perhaps the most exciting and
beautiful cityscape in the world now).
that is just entering a well-planned period
of modernisation,
• On Lantau, too, a « Sea Ranch » holiday resort is rising, of very high quality,
with sports facilities and beautiful chalet
accommodation - and its own helicopter
pad. There is also being built a new Lantau Country Club, and a hotel-resorthome shopping complex project with an
array of sports facilities (this last is a
longterm project, probably taking between six and eight years to complete).
• On the mainland New Territories, club
and holiday resort projects are in hand
for the Sai Kung peninsula (with its fascinating panorama of islets, beaches, hills
and yacht marinas), and in the Clearwater Bay area, including a new marina and
a traditional-style Chinese fishing village
ambiance.
• At Laichikok, westward from urban
Kowloon, a « Sung Dynasty Village » is
being built, designed to be a faithful replica of a traditional Chinese village of that
great era (complete with genuine fortune-tellers...).
As this list shows, Hong Kong's future
development of tourism and leisure facilities strikes a balance between old and
new, between city and country, between
luxury and economy, and it is for both the
foreign visitor and the local Hong Kong
belonger alike.
Development
The era of mass, cheap travel began only
recently. Twenty years ago, foreign travel
was still largely the privilege of the rich,
the diplomats and the wellheeled businessmen. But the large passenger aircraft, and the new-style budget hotel,
built in new resort areas on the Mediterranean, suddenly opened up tourism (of
an astonishingly high quality) to masses
of people ever deeper down the income
scale. The « group tour » burgeoned in
Europe
and
America.
Within years, airports had to be modernised (some are still frantically rebuilding
to cope with the visitor onslaught), hotels
had to blossom along beach-fronts and in
serve visitors, whole new systems of
transport had to be created. The mass
travel business soon spread all over
Western Europe, into Latin America,
parts of Africa - and across the Pacific
and through the Middle East to Asia. Millions of people, who twenty years ago
had been no further than their domestic
resorts, now think nothing of taking off for
« far away places with strange-sounding
names », round the world and back again.
And even among the developing nations,
who would have guessed, only a few
years ago, that a modest factory-worker
in Kowloon or Taipei or Singapore or Kuala Lumpur would be able to go excitedly
into a tour agency and sign up for seven
days in a foreign resort ? For this, too, is
happening.
Hong Kong, with its balance of business
and leisure travel attractions, has ridden
up on this tide of travel. Total annual arrivals swiftly passed through the million
mark in this decade, and in 1977 had
reached 1,755,669. Latest statistics indicate a total for 1978 of just over 2 million.
Tourist revenue for 1977 is estimated at
US 850 million. Arrivals are rising at a
yearly rate of over 16%. The length of
stay is also increasing, and is currently
averaging just under 4 nights. This is high
for Hong Kong, where much visiting is for
hurried business affairs (it is one of the
characteristics of Hong Kong that no one
wastes time, and it is catching !).
And although leisure travel into Hong
Kong is soaring, business travel is soaring even more. Those marking « business » or « meetings » on their landing
One of the steepest railways in the world - the breathtaking « tram » to the Peak on Hong Kong Island, with its view
of the great harbour.
Total Visitors To Hong
Kong, 1969-1977
cards have moved up through 20 % of total arrivals in the last five years, and currently the proportion is estimated to be
approaching 30 %. This reflects the rapid
expansion of banking and commercial
services, the organisation of some important fairs and exhibitions (for toys,
ready-to-wear
garments,
accessories
and office equipment for instance), the
setting up of regional offices of multinational companies, and the growing interest in China's trade and economic development.
Analysis of the visitors by country shows
a world-wide balance - in 1977, 27,6 %
were from Japan. 24 % from neighbouring Southeast Asia, 14.5 % from the U.S.,
12.5 % from Western Europe, and 10.1 %
from Australasia. Hong Kong is patently a
focus of many peoples, many interests.
Perhaps there is one common interest
among all visitors. Whether they come for
a visit to a family relation, or for a serious
meeting with a bank, or for a good Chinese meal, or for a big conference of professional men. all will come for - the
shopping. Hong Kong is a « free port » free not only in the sense of customs duties, but free also in the sense that anyone can sell anything here that is legal,
from any country. There are no protectionist devices, no trade barriers, no cumbersome importing procedures, no favouritism for any country or product. If you
think you can sell something, and it is not
injurious or illegal, then you may bring it
to Hong Kong and try the market.
As a result. Hong Kong has become a
bazaar of goods, of a bewildering choice
foodstuffs, garments, jewelry, antiques
(both real and simulated !), watches, office equipment, furniture, pottery, glass,
etc.. etc.. from a hundred countries and
under thousands of brands. The range of
prices is wide. There are « luxury shops, supermarkets, boutiques, wayside
41
Chinese province of Kwangtung.
stalls, the whole gamut of retailing. Hong
Kong is competitive - and most of all, it
has choice.
So even the hurried businessman, rushing from airport to appointment and back,
will take at least some time to shop, because his family has asked him to find
just that brand of cosmetic, just that
model of gadget, just that component, or
even just that kind of French or Scandinavian cheese ! Hong Kong will have it,
and a dozen competing items, too.
Hong Kong has also become a leading
venue in the world for business and finance contacts. The world's leading
bankers come to the Colony ever more
frequently, the world's leading industrialists, in everything from pins to petrochemicals, and from silk thread to shipping. It is the variety of interests, the variety of contacts, that can be made in
Hong Kong that make it a profitable and
refreshing meeting-place, where participants see much more than the conference agenda, the working papers, and
the scratch-pad and pencil; they are right
next-door to the bustling world of real activity, commercial, financial and cultural.
ducts can be arranged, by the way - handicrafts, jewelry, carpets, and so on.
There are many tours to the offshore islands and into the New Territories (at one
place on a hill, visitors can look down into
China, into the rural agricultural landscape of Kwangtung province, a strange
contrast to ultra-modern, ultra-urban
Hong Kong a few hundred yards away).
There are evening and day tours round
the harbour and Hong Kong island, dining
on luxury vessels as the panorama of
Hong Kong opens up, round to the old
fishing town of Aberdeen (now bursting
with new development). There are quick
trips to the charming Portuguese colony
of Macao, only less than an hour away by
jet-foil, and its casinos and pousadas,
and jaialai and greyhound racing.
As this is being written, China is rapidly
liberalising its tourism system: there are
Cheap and easy visits to Canton and
elsewhere, by rail or ferry and (if current
In this cosmopolitan city, there is a cosmopolitan culture. Where else would you
see, in one month, for instance. Kandyan
dancing, a recital on the classical pipa,
Swiss puppeteers, a visiting symphony
orchestra, a local multinational amateurdramatic musical comedy, a Taiwanese
film, a Goethe play-reading and a group
of young hula dancers from Hawaii ? The
culture is wide-ranging, too - such activities as these are accompanied by a
whole range of «popular» music and
dance, with dozens of good bands and
groups, discos, visiting singers and comedians, floor-shows, variety shows,
down to the little single pop-singer, in the
dimly-lit gourmet restaurant, murmuring
the
latest
hits
over
his
guitar.
Which brings us to one of the elements of
Hong Kong's social life, which is unri-
Hong Kong has many offshore islands to visit - this is Quaint Cheung Chau Island, only an hour away by ferry from the
city centres.
Leisure
A participant at an international meeting
will have his leisure hours to fill. Since
one cannot know with any certainty what
his main leisure pursuits are, the venue
with the widest variety, within easy distance, is going to refresh and interest him
most. And then, there are the spouses of
participants, whose whole day may be
empty, except for the official meals and
cocktail parties.
Hong Kong has to offer a very wide variety of these « out-of-working hours » activities, all within the tiny land-area. The
delights of shopping have already been
described elsewhere. Visits to factories
making a wide vanety of interesting pro-
42
plans go through) even by air direct from
Hong Kong. The changes taking place in
Peking's relations with friendly countries
outside its borders are recent, and swift.
Not long ago. critics of Hong Kong's society used to say that it was a « cultural
desert ». They can say it no longer. In recent years artistic activity has surged.
The big arts centres, present and future,
are described elsewhere, along with the
bigger festivals that have now become a
regular part of Hong Kong's year. But
there are dozens of other smaller, cultural venues and activities throughout the
Colony. Scarcely a day goes by without a
new exhibition of Western or Eastern art,
a dance or music recital, the mounting of
a drama (everything from British farce to
the most esoteric Japanese traditional
play, and of course Chinese opera and
genuine Asian musical recitals); film
groups abound, showing Western and
Eastern films; there are many collectors
here, of stamps and snuff-bottles and
jade and even night-club matchboxes,
and they have their associations and informal groups.
valled Hong Kong is a dining paradise.
Nobody know how many restaurants
there are in Hong Kong, because new
ones have been springing up every week.
They range from very expensive Western
and Chinese eating-places with fabulous
decor, down to wayside noodle-stalls
(which, by the way produce some delicacies which elsewhere would be gourmet
items). The price range is from hundreds
of Hong Kong dollars a head to a few
cents a helping. You can eat on a small
sampan. In one place you can taste a
dozen different kinds of roasted pigeon.
Every cuisine in Asia is available here,
and most European and Latin American
cuisines, too.
As for Chinese food, there is really no
such thing. There are many varieties of
Chinese cuisine, depending on which
province for even which city) is its original home; Hong Kong has specialised
restaurants for them all, and some giant
restaurants which offer more than one
style. All these restaurants, incidentally,
are not for tourists alone; the people of
Hong Kong themselves eat out a great
deal, and especially among the new generation are becoming catholic in their
tastes (would you believe that a famous
brand of American hamburger is a great
success here among the Chinese ?). And
until you have played mah jong for several hours in a Chinese restaurant, and
then spent another few hours eating a
multi-course banquet complete with
every possible beverage you like to
name, you have not really experienced a
Lucullan delight.
But if the visitor succumbs too unwisely
to the food of Hong Kong, there are
sports and gymnasium facilities of many
kinds. Cricket is played on a dozen
pitches in season; soccer has a mass following; there are dozens of tennis courts
(and they are often full, so you may have
From the West, a cultural adoption - Hong Kong's symphony orchestra, part of the cosmopolitan atmosphere of this
unique city-state.
to use friendly contacts). Rugby, hillclimbing, hiking, yachting, jogging, all
have their organisations and followers.
There are 37 gazetted beaches, and eleven swimming pool complexes (in addition to hotel pools). Basketball, volleyball.
badminton, squash are played. There are
two large golf courses, and some of the
future projects for resorts in Hong Kong
include golf course development. Horseracing takes place from October to May,
at a new modern track in Sha Tin, one of
the new towns being built in the New Territories.
Part of the culture of a modern city is its
night-life, and Hong Kong does not lack
for that. In addition to the « clubs » which
are integral with the big hotels, there are
literally hundreds of taverns, dining and
dancing places, « hostess » clubs, floorshow restaurants, and bars within the
tourism complex of Tsim Sha Tsui in
Kowloon. and in a long stretch of Hong
Kong island eastwards form the central
commercial district. All tastes are catered
for, from the most staid to the least prudish. And there are no limited licensing
hours for dining and wining in Hong Kong,
Hong Kong works hard, and it plays hard,
too.
Endorsements
A number of the reasons why Hong Kong
is an attractive venue for meetings and
conferences can be gathered from the
foregoing analyses. To sum up, here are
the words of a selection of people who
themselves organise meetings, for both
local
and
international
bodies.
Mr. R.T. Griffiths, deputy director of Hong
Kong General Chamber of Commerce ;
« The attraction of Hong Kong as a meeting-place for businessmen and professional groups derives from its rapid pace
of development, and the atmosphere of
energy which is generated here. Both the
economy and the society of Hong Kong
nese banquet.
« They are widening in the range of
industries and cultural activities, and
they are deepening in sophistication of
skills, the use of modern methods of production and communications, and in the
growing number of professional and
cultural associations. As a result, facilities for cultural shows, exhibitions and
fairs, as well as for conferences and training seminars, are being expanded as
the demand grows. Hong Kong, with its
good communications and facilities, has
become a magnet for visitors, seeking
everything from light entertainment to
serious business ».
Dr. J.C. Wright, executive director of the
Hong
Kong
Productivity
Centre
:
" Hong Kong is becoming the venue for a
number of large industrial conferences,
and the reasons are many. It is a hub of
air communications, the general organiTRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS. 1-2 1979
43
sation of its infrastructure for conferences is excellent, and it is highly organised
in terms of hotels and convenience of
movement for conference delegates.
- There are also the good shopping and
entertainment facilities, convenient to the
meeting places, and many attractions of
general interest. Not least, the telecommunication network and the simple and
speedy financial system give Hong Kong
considerable
advantages
».
Dr. Hellmuth Klauhs. chairman of the
important GZB Bank of Vienna, which has
recently opened up not only offices in
Hong Kong, but also a trading concern
which will spearhead Austrian trading in
the
whole
Asian
region
:
« Hong Kong possesses opportunities for
commercial activities that no other country in this region can match, and therefore we consider it the ideal starting point
for the Far East ».
Carl Gustavson. general manager of the
Chase Manhattan Bank in Hong Kong, is
among the many leading bankers who
choose Hong Kong for its regional operations and its meeting-place for top staff :
- Hong Kong is an excellent place for
bank meetings and conferences because
it has excellent communications as well
as hotel and meeting facilities. The major
airlines connect it conveniently with
many parts of the world.
-There is an excellent telephone and
telex service by which one can be in
touch with virtually and key cities round
the world ».
Industrial companies also choose Hong
Kong as their regional centre, meetingplace and seminar facility. Among them is
Exxon Chemical Asia-Pacific, Mr. G.W.
Hunter,
vice-president
:
« Our Asia-Pacific regional office was
moved from New York to Hong Kong in
1971. I should point out that before
moving, the company prepared a study of
the relative merits of various locations in
the Far East, and at that time Hong Kong
came out top.
« However, we have viewed rising rents
and other costs with some concern, and
so we looked at the Hong Kong location
afresh in 1978. But on balance. Hong
Kong still remains on top. »
«' Naturally, we would prefer such costs
as rents to be lower than they are. But it
appears that this is only a price you have
to pay for the many advantages that
Hong Kong offers as a centrally-located,
cosmopolitan community. with a progressive and vibrant business and social
environment ».
But the best endorsement is the final
decision to come to Hong Kong and set
up the meeting-place. Among the forthcoming international meetings to be held
in
Hong
Kong
are
these
:
The Stanford Research Institute Conference, with 250 participants February
1979
44
A Workshop on Finance and Investment
of the Pacific Air Travel Association, with
150 participants. February, 1979.
Interfreight '79, an exhibition sponsored
by the International Federation of Freight
Forwarders Associations, March, 1979.
The Seventh Commonwealth Association
of Architects Conferences, with 400 participants, April. 1979.
An International Building Exhibition, May,
1979.
The First Annual International Asian Antiques Fair, May, 1979.
The 1979 Junior Chambers of Commerce
Conference, with 2.500 participants,
May-June, 1979.
An International Convention of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, with 1,000 participants, September. 1979.
An International World Conference of the
Clothing Institute, with 200 participants,
September, 1979.
A Clinical Meeting of the British Medical
Association,
with
450
participants,
November. 1979.
The 20th International Conference on
Social Welfare, with 2.200 participants,
August, 1930.
The International Micrographie Congress,
with 500 participants, September. 1980.
The 9th International Symposium of
Comparative Endocrinology, with 400
participants,
December,
1981.
The 7th Commonwealth Law Conference,
with 2,000 participants, in 1983.
The wide range of industrial and professional bodies is evident from this highly
selective list. In addition, there are a
regular series of fairs and exhibitions
which form a vital part of Hong Kong's
economy, to which buyers and businessmen are attracted in the thousands,
examples being the Hong Kong Readyto-Wear garment shows, the Toy and Gift
Fairs, the Garment Accessory Fairs, and
many smaller exhibitions of both consu-
mer and capital goods. International and
regional
management,
financial
and
industrial groups meet frequently for discussions and training sessions, because
of the convenient venue and the good
infrastructure. Some are mounted at
short notice, even those of significant
size, because Hong Kong has a wide
variety of facilities and is flexible and efficient in its organisation.
Associations
For industrial and commercial organisations wishing to hold meetings and conferences in Hong Kong or for any participant or visitor, Hong Kong's Trade Development Council offers many services.
They include a trade inquiry service, giving advice and lists of importers, exporters, forwarders, etc.: a display centre for
many types of products; a personal inquiry service, which will help with transport
advice, even the weather round the
world; a number of magazines, with inserts in German, French and Japanese,
and a basic information booklet, « Hong
Kong for the Businessman », in English,
German, French, Dutch. Italian and Japanese; and such facilities as facsimile
transmission within Hong Kong for rapid
movement of data.
Briefings can be arranged for visiting
groups, on Hong Kong's economic opportunities, in any convenient venue. The
Trade Development Council is at 3rd Floor, Connaught Centre, Connaught Road.
Hong Kong; it has five area managers
throughout the world to advise visitors
and traders, and 17 offices overseas.
Professional and commercial associations are many and active in Hong Kong,
and their members are always happy to
meet visiting individuals and groups with
common interests, and to assist with local organisational details and social occasions. A random selection of expected
(and unexpected) bodies of many kinds :
• There are six accountancy and actuarial associations, and no fewer than 54
societies associated with medical, surgical, dental and health services,
• There are six Chambers of Commerce
and about 30 sports associations.
• Hong Kong has a Chinese Arts Association, a Snuff Bottle Collectors Association, a Chinese Chess Association,
a Confucian Society, an Amateur Fencing Association, a Goethe Society, a
Jazz Record Society, a Judo Association, a Water Ski Association, a Wine
Club, and even a Mountaineering Association.
A list of over 350 of these bodies in Hong
Kong can be obtained from the Hong
Kong Tourist Association, Conferences
and Meetings Department. 35th Floor,
Connaught Centre. Connaught Road,
Hong Kong.
Media services
For organisers of meetings, it is always
fulfilling and valuable to obtain some public attention through media coverage.
Hong Kong has one of the largest and
widest press and electronic media corps
in the world, as befits a communications
centre. Both the local and foreign media
are
unfettered
and
active.
There are three local daily newspaper in
English, and Hong Kong is the publication
point for the Asian Wall Street Journal,
an offshoot of the famous American business daily. More than 30 regional magazines and other periodicals in English are
published in Hong Kong. As for the Chinese press, it is extremely active in Hong
Kong, there being a large number of Chinese dailies and weeklies, magazines,
etc., and they are interested in international
events
to
a
high
degree.
The big international news agencies are
represented in Hong Kong in force - Reuter, AP, DPI, Agence France Presse, Kyodo, Hsinhua New China News Agency,
etc. - and there is a host of special and
regional correspondents for newspapers
in Europe, America. Australia and Asia.
On the electronic media side, representatives of many radio and TV authorities
are stationed in Hong Kong - All-India
Radio, Australian Broadcasting Commission, BBC, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBS News, German Radio and
Television, NBC. National Iranian Radio
and TV. Japan Broadcasting Corporation
(NHK),
Visnews
and
Westinghouse
Broadcasting.
There are four television channels in
Hong Kong, privately-owned, transmitting
in English and Chinese on commercial
franchises, and their television news
teams are active.
There are many specialised trade and
Professional magazines published for local and regional readerships, and these
Chinese opera and plays are still part of the Hong Kong culture live and on television. These are gorgeous Tang
Dynasty robes.
are always eager to give both pre-conference and post-conference coverage in
depth in the common language of the region, which is English, and there are
many channels of editorial material to publications in other languages - for instance, where a meeting has relevance
to Indonesia, or to Mexico, or to Korea,
correspondents will send material for
translation into the local languages for
the
use
of
media
there.
Hong Kong not only gives out media material, but also receives it in large volumes, because the life of Hong Kong de-
pends on information. Dozens of foreign
publications are speed-mailed inwards
every day. for the trade associations,
consulates, businessmen and for public
sale. The newspaper stands of Hong
Kong, especially in the hotels, are a kaleidoscope of foreign newspapers and
magazines, many of them only hours
« late ». The range of foreign magazines
available is also very high, owing to the
cosmopolitan society which is Hong
Kong. And the regional editions of Time.
Newsweek and Readers Digest are published in this centre; the two newsmag-
45
azines from America are flown in as
« film » and within hours are on sale as
complete copies of the originals, slightly
rearranged to cater for regional and local
advertising pagination. From wherever a
visitor comes, he is never far from his
home via Hong Kong media and communications.
Literature
Explanatory and promotional literature on
Hong Kong can be obtained from the
Hong Kong Tourist Association, 35th Floor. Connaught Centre, Connaught Road
Central. Hong Kong, or from its overseas
offices (see below). From a long list of
general and specialised material, conference organisers may find this selected
list useful :
Meeting Guide, 1978, a thorough description of the major meeting facilities,
illustrated with pictures and diagrams,
tour suggestions, technical services,
travel procedures, currency and banking,
etc.
Hong Kong Facts and Information
Guides, Stop and Shop Bargain Guides,
Consumer Brochures in English. French,
German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish and
Portuguese.
Folders on Individual Incentive plans.
Brochures on Special Interest and Educational Meetings.
Leaflets on Hong Kong's unique attractions, on « The Most Exciting Cities on
Earth», on the Services of the Hong
Kong Tourist Association, on the Hotels
of Hong Kong, on its Chinese Festivals,
on Sightseeing, on its Arts and Crafts,
Beaches. Walks, Museums. Night Life
and the Ocean Park complex. Most of
these leaflets can be obtained in English,
Japanese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese. Chinese, Malay. Indonesia and Thai.
The Tourist Association also publishes a
weekly newspaper in English and Japanese, entitled « Orient ». circulated
through travel media, hotels and information centres free to the public, and a
pocket-sized hard-cover Guidebook, also
free.
The overseas offices of the Hong Kong
Tourist Association are as follows :
London : 14/16 Cockspur Street. London
SW1Y 5DP. Telephone : 01 -930-4775.
Paris: 38 Avenue George V (53. rue
François 1er, 7th Floor). 750O8 Paris.
Telephone : 256-39-53.
Frankfurt: D-6000 Frankfurt am Main,
Bockenheimer Landstrasse 51/53,
Federal Republic of Germany. Telephone : Frankfurt 722688.
Rome : Casella Postale 620, 00100
Roma Centre. Italy. Telephone • 3663668.
New York : 548 Fifth Avenue, New York
N.Y,
10036,
U.S.A. Telephone :
(212)947-5008.
46
San Francisco: Hong Kong Bank Building, 160 Sansome Street, Suite 1102,
San
Francisco.
California
94104,
U.S.A. Telephone : (415) 989-5005.
Tokyo : 4th Floor. Toho Twin Tower
Building, 1-5-2 Yurakucho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 100, Japan. Telephone:
(03)503-0731,
Sydney: Bligh House, 4/6 Biigh Street,
Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia. Telephone: 232-2422.
The Association is also represented at
the offices of Cathay Pacific Airways in
RESUME
De par sa situation au cœur des pays
de l'Est et du Sud Est Asiatique, aux
portes de la Chine, Hong Kong est un
des hauts-lieux du commerce mondial
un trait d'union entre l'Europe, l'Amérique, le Moyen Orient, l'Afrique et
l'Australie et le point de communication le plus important vers la Chine.
La superficie totale du territoire est de
1049 km2 dont 80% de régions montagneuses; la population de 4.75 millions, soit quelque 4300 habitants au
km2, est une des plus dense du
monde. 98% de cette population est
chinoise et parle un dialecte cantonais; les quelque 83000 étrangers qui
y vivent viennent de tous les pays du
monde.
Hong Kong n'est pas seulement un
vaste entrepôt, un lieu de transit et
d'échanges
commerciaux
mais
s'enorgueillit depuis quelques années,
de posséder ses propres industries.
La plupart des matières premières
doivent néanmoins être importées.
Hong Kong n'en possédant pour ainsi
dire aucune. En fait sa seule « matière
première » est l'énergie et le travail de
ses habitants; son économie, sa
société, sa philosophie politique, tout
reflète
cet
élément
déterminant.
Historiquement. Hong Kong est divisé
en deux parties : des traités datés de
1842 et 1860 entre la Chine et la
Grande Bretagne donnent à cette dernière la propriété définitive de l'Ile de
Victoria et du quartier de Kowloon rattaché
au
Continent
chinois.
Par un autre traité daté de 1898, la
Chine a loué à la Grande Bretagne,
pour une période allant jusque 1997,
quelque 235 petites Nés et une partie
du
Continent
chinois
allant
de
Kowloon au fleuve Shum Chun. Bien
que de nombreux changements politiques soient intervenus depuis 1898,
les successeurs de la Dynastie Ching,
c'est-à-dire les dirigeants de la République
Populaire
de
Chine,
n'ont
jamais, ni confirmé, ni dénoncé ce
bail.
A l'heure où ces lignes sont écrites.
les relations entre Hong Kong et la
14 cities in Japan (Fukuoka. Hiroshima
Kagoshima, Kobe, Kyoto, Nagoya, Okayama. Okinawa, Osaka, Sapporo, Sendai,
Shizuoka, Takamatsu, and Yokohama),
10 cities of Southeast Asia (Bangkok,
Kuala Lumpur. Kota Kinabalu. Bandar
Seri Begawan. Jakarta, Denpasar, Medan, Surabaya. Singapore and Manila),
and in Perth (Australia). Los Angeles
Chicago, Washington and Seatlle (U.S.),
Honolulu (Hawaii) and Bahrain and Dubai
in the Middle East.
Chine n'ont jamais été meilleures; les
mouvements frontaliers sont contrôlés mais ont été récemment libéralisés; le tourisme est encouragé par la
Chine; les relations commerciales se
développent de jour en jour; une
grande partie des produits chinois
passent par le port et l'aéroport de
Hong Kong,
De par sa situation de plaque tournante entre les mondes Orientaux et
Occidentaux, Hong Kong a vu son
industrie touristique triplée en moins
de 10 ans: de 70.000 visiteurs en
1969 elle est passée à 1.800.000 en
1977.
Un des secteurs importants de cette
industrie du tourisme est sans nul
doute celui de l'industrie des congrès
qui s'est également considérablement
développé ces dernières années.
L'infrastructure « congressuelle » est
parfaitement
adaptée
aux
divers
besoins des réunions : que ce soit des
congrès géants, des séminaires, colloques, réunions de comités etc...
Les équipements techniques disponibles sont des plus modernes, le choix
des salles de réunions est des plus
vaste, le personnel qualifié peut être
recruté sur place, les facilités hôtelières jouissent d'une réputation qui
n'est plus à faire.
De nombreux congrès d'organisations
internationales y sont prévus ces prochains
mois
et
années.
(Une liste des services, publications,
et renseignements disponibles est
publiée
à
la
fin
de
l'article).
Un point commun entre tous les visiteurs qui séjournent à Hong Kong est
sans nul doute le « shopping )): car il
ne faut pas oublier qu'Hong Kong est
un port franc, non seulement du fait
qu'il n'y existe pas de droits de
douane, mais également du fait que
toutes les importations y sont libres; il
n'existe à Hong Kong aucun protectionnisme, barrière ni formalité douanière, favoritisme pour quelque pays
ou produit que ce soit. Ce libéralisme
a pour résultat de faire de Hong Kong
un énorme bazar ou l'on peut trouver
tout ce que l'on recherche,
GdC,
1977
Geographical distribution of international meetings
by continent,
country and city
Répartition géographique des réunions internationales
par continent, pays et ville en 1977
* REPRODUCTION INTERDITE
* COPYRIGHT UAI 1978
Africa
ALGERIE 3
Algiers
3
BURUNDI 1
1
CAMEROON 3
3
CONGO 1
1
SOUTH AFRICA 1 2
12
Nairobi
20
SUDAN 4
4
LESOTHO 1
1
SWAZILAND 1
1
MADAGASCAR 1
1
TANZANIA 1
1
MALI 1
MAURITIUS Isl 1
1
1
TOGO 2
2
TUNISIA 3
3
MOROCCO 4
4
GHANA 8
MOZAMBIQUE 1
1
UGANDA 1
UPPER VOLTA 1
1
1
Accra
GUINEA 1
NIBER1A 19
ZAIRE 1
1
ZAMBIA 3
not fixed 6
3
6
EGYPT 17
Cairo
others
ETHIOPIA 1
15
2
1
8
1
IVORY COAST 9
Abidjan
9
KENYA 20
Ibadan
Lagos
not fixed
SENEGAL 5
7
5
7
5
SIERRA LEONE 1
1
133
47
America
ARGENTINA !)
Buenos Aires
others
BARBADOS 1
13
6
1
BAHAMAS Isl 2
2
BRAZIL 27
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
others
14
7
6
BOLIVIA 3
3
CANADA 1 28
Montreal
38
COSTA RICA 3
3
USA
DOMINICAN REP. 1
1
ECUADOR 3
3
GUADELOUPE 2
2
GUATEMALA 3
3
GUYANA 1
1
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Denver
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
22
10
32
12
10
13
HONDURAS 1
1
JAMAICA 1
1
MEXICO 24
Mexico
20
New Orleans
New York
Philadelphia
San Diego
San Francisco
12
42
30
12
25
others
PALAU Island 1
4
1
PANAMA 2
PARAGUAY 1
2
1
Washington
others
VENEZUELA 12
45
241
12
WEST INDIES 1
1
PERU 6
6
LATIN AMERICA 6
6
CARIBBEAN 1
10
10
23
14
33
1
CHILE 6
6
PUERTO RICO 3
3
COLOMBIA 5
5
URUGUAY 9
Montevideo
7
not fixed
2
Ottawa
Quebec
Toronto
Vancouver
others
Asia
BANGLADESH 1
1
HONG KONG 11
11
INDIA 32
New Delhi
others
1
AUSTRALIA 47
6
NEPAL 1
1
PAKISTAN 2
PHILIPPINES 20
2
Melbourne
Sydney
others
FIJI 2
12
16
19
2
Manila
others
18
2
NEW CALEDONIA 5
5
NEW GUINEA 1
1
SINGAPORE 46
46
41
33
35
NEW ZEALAND 7
7
SOUTH KOREA 4
4
SAMOA Isl 1
1
SRI LANKA 9
9
TAIWAN 1
1
20
46
9
2
THAILAND 39
Bangkok
others
not fixed
30
9
3
15
17
5
9
IRAQ 1
1
ISRAEL 109
JAPAN 75
Kyoto
Tokyo
others
KUWAIT 2
Australasia
MALAYSIA 6
IRAN 9
Tel Aviv
others
778
LEBANON 1
INDONESIA 5
Jerusalem
506
63
377
Europe
AUSTRIA 127
Innsbruck
Salzburg
Vienna
others
10
19
82
16
BELGIUM 144
Brussels
Liege
others
BULGARIA 19
85
28
31
Varna
others
CYPRUS 3
11
8
3
49
Europe
CZECHOSLOVAKIA 77
Bratislava
Liblice
Prague
others
DENMARK 83
13
12
32
20
IRELAND 54
Dublin
others
ITALY 166
30
24
17
77
72
14
Copenhagen
others
FINLAND 46
Helsinki
53
30
Florence
Rome
others
40
LUXEMBOURG
others
FRANCE 346
6
MALTA 3
Paris
Strasbourg
others
158
32
174
GERMAN Dem Rep
12
BERLIN EAST
BERLIN WEST
1
37
MONACO
Athens
others
17
Cambridge
Edinburgh
London
others
USSR 27
10
11
186
151
Moscow
others
10
17
YUGOSLAVIA 31
Belgrade
others
not fixed
10
21
7
NETHERLANDS 99
49
Oslo
others
POLAND 36
13
10
12
23
21
118
Warsaw
others
PORTUGAL 4
16
20
4
15
6
Bucharest
others
SPAIN 49
10
6
Barcelone
Madrid
others
SWEDEN 49
Stockholm
10
15
24
Budapest
32
others
ICELAND 9
22
9
RUMANIA 16
others
For the past 28 years UAI has undertaken a statistical study of
international meetings that took place during the preceeding
years.
The statistics are based on figures obtained by UAI and selected according to a set of criteria established 28 years ago, at
the outset of these surveys this continuity has been deliberately maintained in order to furnish validly comparable material
for subsequent analysis.
UAI's information network is concerned above all, with those
organizations and associations which appear in the Yearbook
of International Organizations the sittings of their principal
organs, their regional sessions (grouping several countries/more than 3 countries) symposium, study tours, congresses etc...; those meetings or gatherings of an essentially religious, didactic, political, commercial or sportive nature are
excluded.
UAI also undertakes special surveys in order to select national
meetings enjoying large group of international representatives. Those meetings of a certain importance, in terms of either
number or representativeness, or power of assembled delegates are taken into consideration. Whereas those which are
either entirely national, or of either strictly limited or specialised nature or which are particular numerous regular sessions
of committees or groups of experts or meetings on an intergovernmental level are not included.
Thus the present statistics can only reflect the upwards cover
of number of international meetings which satisfy UAI's selective criteria.
UK 375
Brighton
37
13
HUNGARY 54
10
10
32
41
11
12
others
NORWAY 23
GREECE 21
136
Lausanne
Montreux
Zurich
others
TURKEY 11
3
Amsterdam
The Hague
GERMANY Fed R 174
Dusseldorf
Hamburg
Munich
others
14
SWITZERLAND 229
Geneva
15
34
2376
Total
AFRICA
133
AMERICA
ASIA
AUSTRALASIA
778
377
63
EUROPE
2376
Depuis 28 ans lÚAI a établi à l'intention de ses membres un
relevé statistique des réunions internationales tenues dans
l'année qui vient de s'écouler.
Ces statistiques sont établies sur la base des données
recueillies par l'UAI et retenues selon certains critères constants depuis 28 ans: cela afin de maintenir la comparabilité et
les possibilités d'analyse.
Le réseau d'information de l'UAI concerne avant tout les organisations et associations mentionnées dans l'Annuaire des
Organisations Internationales : les assises de leurs principaux
organes, les sessions régionales (groupant plusieurs pays),
les symposiums, les groupes d'études, à l'exclusion des réunions ou manifestations à caractère essentiellement religieux,
dedactique, politique, commercial ou sportif. Des enquêtes
spéciales sont menées également par l'UAI pour dépister les
réunions nationales avec participation internationale suffisamment large. Sont prises en considération les réunions d'une
certaine importance soit par le nombre, soit par la représentativité, soit par le pouvoir des délégués rassembles. Ne sont
pas retenues les réunions nationales, les réunions très limitées ou spécifiques, les sessions régulières de comités ou
groupes d'experts particulièrement nombreuses au niveau
intergouvernemental.
Ainsi les présentes statistiques ne peuvent refléter que partiellement la courbe ascendante du nombre total de reunions
internationales.
51
INTERNATIONAL
CONGRESS
CALENDAR
1979
19thEDITION
Les informations faisant l'objet de cette rubrique constituent les suppléments au « Annual international congress
calendar» 19e édition, 1979.
Le signe • indique un changement ou complément aux
informations publiées précédemment.
This calendar is a monthly supplement to information listed in the «Annual International Congress Calendar»
19th edition 1979.
The sign • indicates supplementary Information of modification to previous announcements.
1er Supplément
1st Supplement
1979 Jan 23
London (UK)
Int Society and Federation of Cardiology. Half-day workshop on endomycardial fibrosis.
(YB no A 2533)
Dr E G Olsen. National Heart Hospital. London WIM 8BA, UK.
• 1979 Mar 19-31
Papua (New Guinea)
Commonwealth Secretariat. Regional workshop on low-cost science teaching equipment.
(YB no A 0376)
Marlborough House. Pall Mall. London SWIY 5HX. UK.
1979 Jan 25-28
CNRS Collogue int La découverte de la France au 18e siècle
c/o CNRS. 15 Quai Anatole France, F-75700 Paris.
1979 Mar 21-23
Kansas City (MO. USA)
American Society o! Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 80th Annual meeting.
Mrs E Galasso. 1718 Gallagher Road. Norristown. PA 19401. USA.
1979 Jan 27-Feb 12
Conférence générale de l'episcopal Latico Américain,
c/o Caritas int. Piazza San Calisto 16.I-00153 Rome.
1979 Feb 8-10
4th Joint conference on stroke and cerebral circulation.
AHA. 7320 Greenville Avenue, Dallas. TX 75231, USA.
Marseille (France)
Puebla (Mexico)
Phoenix (AZ, USA)
1979 Feb 14-15
Paris (France)
Organisation for Economie Co-operation and Development. Tourism Committee. 36th
meeting.
(YB n° A 3023)
2 rue André Pascal, F-75775 Paris cedex 16.
1979 Feb 15-16
Georgetown (Guyana)
Commonwealth Youth Programme, Caribean Advisory Board, meeting.
(YB n°B 2059)
Martborough House, Pall Mall, London SWIY 5HX. UK.
1979 Feb 22-23
London (UK)
IC-Int. Communications. Arab Travel 1980s - 1st int. conference for Arab travel and tourism. P - 500.
IC Conference Division. 109 Kingsway. London WC2B 6PZ. UK.
1979 Fob 28-Mar 2
Brussels (Belgium)
Miami
(FL,
1979 Mar 11-15
Washington (USA)
Inter-American Travel Congresses. United States Travel Service/United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service/The George Washington University. Int symposium-Tourism and the next decade. (YB n° A 1106)
Int Symposium Tourism and the Next Decade, The George Washington University, 817
Twenty-Third Street NW. Washington. DC 20052. USA.
1979 Mar 15-16
London (UK)
IC-Int. Communications, Conference Division (London)/Middle East Transport Magazine. 1st Arab airports conference '79.
IC Conférence Division, 109 Kingsway, London WC2B 6PZ, UK.
• 1979 Mar 19-23
Federation of Int Furniture Removers. Annual congress.
FIDI. rue de la Loi 81A Bte 1. B-1040 Brussels.
1979 Apr 4-5
Paris (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris. Collogue int : La méthode de
Mme M Galabert Directeur du Centre d'études de l'emploi, clo CNRS 15 quai Anatole
France. F-75700 Paris.
1979 Apr 5-7
Albany (NY. USA)
World Study Center/New York African Studies Association Annual conference :
Science of the arts in the African world. P : 200.
(YB no B 1376)
WSC. State University College. New Platz. NY 12562. USA.
1979 Apr 5-1O
Cordoba (Spain)
European Society for Rural Sociology. European congress for rural sociology : Economic growth and regional development : harmony and disharmony in a differentiation process. P; 120. C : overseas countries. (YB no A 0857 J
E Secilla-Guzman. Dep of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. University Box
246. Cordoba.
IFIP Applied Information Processing Group. Workshop : The economics and technology of standardization.
(YB no B 3648)
IAG Headquarters. 40 Paulus Patterstraat 1071 DB Amsterdam, Netherlands.
1979 Mar 11-15
USA)
American College of Cardiology. Annual scientific meeting.
ACC. 9111 Old Georgetown Road. Bethesda. MA 20014. USA.
1979 Apr 2-6
Berlin (West)
European Broadcasting Union, Technical commission. Convention. P : 150.
(YB n° A 0598)
Int congress center Berlin. Postfach 19 1740, Messedamm 22. D-1000 Berlin 19.
Mexico (Mexico)
(YB no A 0947)
1979 Apr 13-15
Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Dr J E M R Sousa. POB 215. Sao Paulo.
1979 Apr 17-18
Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Federation of Veterinarians of the EEC/British Veterinary Association /Belgian Veterinary Association/Danish Vet. Ass./Dutch Vet. Ass./ European Union of Veterinary Practitioners... 1 st European conference on the protection of
farm animals.
(YB n° B 0516/A 0897)
Philip Brown. BSc.. MRCVS, The Manor House. The Causeway. Horsham. Sussex,
RH12 1HG. UK. or: Braban Public Relations Ltd. 43 Gt Marlborough Street. London
W1V 1DA.
1979 Apr 18-20
Chantilly (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Paris, Colloque int ; Les problèmes de la
petite entreprise lace a la croissance industrielle et à ses consequences socio-économiques, de la fin du 18e siècle a nos jours. P ;inv.
M J Droz. Prof a l'université de Paris t. clo CNRS, 15 quai Anatole France. F-75700
Pans.
1979 Apr 20-21
World Federal Authority Committee, and its Institute. Meeting . The
tasks of the world federal authority committee and its institute; drafts of
tution; the functional approach to the global democracy. (YB
WFAC, Adv. Aake Anker-Ordtng. Geitmyrsveien 48. Oslo 4.
Osto (Norway)
structures and
a world constin° A 4155)
53
1979 Apr 21-26
(Columbia)
Latin American Iron and steel Institute, COAL. Meeting Ex.
ILAFA. Deno Urzua 1994 Casilia 16065, Santiago 9. Chile.
Bogota
(YB n° A 2804)
1979 Apr 23-27
Le Bischsnbsrg (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Paris Colloque int ; La structure et la
fonction des ganghosides. P : inv.
Prof P Mandel, Directeur du Centre de Neurochimie. CNRS. 15 quai, Anatole France, F75 700 Paris
.1979
Apr
23-27
(Caribbean)
Commonwealth Science Council. Regional workshop on the utilisation of natural products
Marlborough House. Pall Mall. London SWIY 5HX, UK.
1979 Apr 25-27
Marseille (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Paris. Colloque int : Biogeochimie de la
matière organique à l'interface eau-sédiment marin. P : inv.
M R Daumas. Charge de recherche. CAWS. 15 quai Anatole France. F-75 700 Paris.
1979 Apr 30-May 2
American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Annual meeting.
ATS. 6 Beacon Street Boston. MA 02108.
Boston (MA, USA)
1979 Jun 1-9
Int Union of Judges. Conference
Palazzo di Giustizia. Piazza Cavour, Rome. Italy.
Stockholm (Sweden)
(YB n° A 2730)
1979 Jun 5-8
Alx en Provence (France)
Centre National do la Recherche Scientifique. Paris. Colloque int L'Egypte de 1805 á
1882 continuité et rupture. P : inv.
Prof R Mantran, Directeur du Groupe de recherches et d'étudss sur le Proche Orient
CNRS, 15 quai Anatole France, F- 75700 Paris.
1979 Jun 10-11
Noordwljkarhout (Netherlands)
Int Cystic Fibrosis (Mucovlscidosls) Association. Meeting.
(YB no A 1760)
ICFMA. Robert D Mooreery, 3567 East 49th Street. Cleveland, OH 44101. USA.
1979 Jun 11
Noordwijkerhout (Netherlands)
European Society for Respiratory Diseases in Children. 1st meeting
Dr D Baran. Clinique pédiatriqua. Hôpital Universitaire St Pierre, rue Haute 320 B1000 Brussels.
1979 Jun 11
European Society for Paediatric Haematology and Immunology. Meeting
Or M Sep. Rikshospitalet. Univ of Oslo, Pielstrasse 32. Oslo.
Oslo (Norway)
1979 Jun 11-13
Goteborg (Sweden)
Int Society of Hypertension. 6th Scientific meeting.
(YB no 8 2329)
Dr. L Hansson. Department of Medicine, Ostra Hospital. S-41685 Goteborg
1979 Apr
Melbourne (Australia)
Oceania Judo Union. Seminar lot administrators : coaches in Oceania area. P : 50. C ;
5-6
(YB no B 0825)
E Knoop. Secretary General. 52 Fordholm Road, Hawthorn 3122. Australia.
1979 Jun 11-14
Jerusalem (Israel)
Int Peace Association and Research Institute. Symposium : Issues of peace building in
the nuclear era.
POB 7111. Jerusalem.
19179 May 1-4
1979 Jun 12-13
Noordwijkerhout (Netherlands)
European Working Group for Cystic Fibrosis. 9th Meeting : Bronchology and pneumology. gastroenterology, infection and antibiotics, immunology, epidemiology, basis research.
The Hague (Netherlands)
2nd Int congress on patient counselling and education.
2nd ICPCE. POB 175. 2770 AD Boskoop. Netherlands.
• 1979 May 6-9
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Inter-American Savings and Loan Union. 17th Inter-American savings and loan conference : Mainly matters concerning housing, savings and loan. P : 500. (YB n° A 1108)
Inter-American Savings and Loan Union. Casilla 4262. Correo Central, Santiago.
Chile.
1979 May 8-11
Florence (Italy)
Dr G G Nen Semeri. Institute di Patologia Medica II dell'Universita di Firenze, Viale
Morgagni 85. Florence.
• 1979 May 14-19
Brussels (Belgium)
Int Committee on Aeronautical Fatigue. Conference and symposium : Structural fatigue as a design factor fatigue life predictio, C : 13. airworthiness of ageing structures,
fatigue properties in new technologies. P : 150-200. (Y8 n° A 16271
Mr A Maenhaut Administration de l'Aéronautique. Aerodrome de Haren. Hangar 7. B-
Conference Office NCFS, Postbox 30. 3830 AA Leusden, Netherlands.
1979 Jun 15-16
Brussels (Belgium)
Int Society for Aerosols in Medicine, 1 st Belgian symposium on aerosols in medicine.
(YB no B 4551)
Dr Baran. Scientific Secretary. Pédiatrie Clinic. St Pierre University Hospital, rue Haute
320. B-1000 Brussels.
1979 Jun 15-17
Rotarua (New Zealand)
Oceania Judo Union. Executive meeting. C : 5-6.
(YB no B 0825)
E Knoop. Secretary General, 52 Fordholm Road, Hawthorn 3122, Australia.
1979 Jun 18-19
Berlin (West)
Int East-West automobile co-operation symposium 1979. P : 150.
Int congress center Berlin. Postfach 19 1740, Messedamm 22, D-1000 Berlin 19.
1130 Brussels.
1979 May 17-19
Ottawa (Canada)
Department of Physiology, University of Ottawa. Ottawa, Ont KIN 9A9.
1979 May 17-19
Paris (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Paris. Colloque int : Adaptation et transformation de ta mythologie gréco-romaine dans les régions limitrophes de l'empire roman. P: inv.
Mme Lilly Kahil. Prof à l'université de Paris I. c/o CNRS. 15 quai Anatole France. F75700 Paris.
1979 May 21-23
Bendor (France)
Centre National de la Recherche scientifique. Paris. Colloque int : L'activation de l'oxygène moléculaire par les complexes des métaux de transition. P : inv.
M Arzoumanian. Maitre de recherche. CNRS, 15 quai Anatole France, F- 75700 Paris.
1979 Jun IB-22
Honolulu (HI, USA)
Institute of Management Sciences. Int congress : The challenge of global interdependency. P : 700. C : 75. (YB no A 1033)
Prof Robert Doktor, College of Business Administration, University of Hawaii. Honolulu.
HI 96822, USA.
1979 Jun 19-22
Grenoble (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Paris. Colloque int: Le comportement
mécaniques des solides anisotropes. P : inv.
M J P Boehler. Maître assistant a l'Université de Grenoble I. Grenoble.
1979 Jun 26-29
Bad Klosteriausnitz (German Dem Rep)
World Methodist Historical Society. Historical regional conference on methodist studies • Methodism in Europe. C : 10.
(YB no A 2260)
Dr Rudiger Minor. Bahnhofstrasse 33. Haus - Klosterwald -. 6532 Bad Klosterlausnitz.
1979 Jun
Capri (Italy)
1979 May 24-26
Oslo (Norway)
North Atlantic Assembly. Commissions meeting - Congress. P ; 80. C : 15. Ex : prob.
(YB no A 3O04)
Place du Petit Sablon 3, B-1000 Brussels.
European Society for Pédiatrie Nephrology. Annual meeting. P : 100-150.
1979 May 28-Jun 1
Tokyo (Japan)
9th Int symposium on cerebral blood flow and metabolism.
Dr Fumio Gotoh, Neurology Dept Keio Univ. Med. School, 35 Shinanomachi Shinjukuku. Tokyo.
1979 Jun
Mexico (Mexico)
Mutual Assistance of the Latin American Government Oil Companies/PEMEX Symposium : Environmental conservation.
(YB no A 2967)
Pemex. AV Maria Nacional 329. Piso 11, Mexico.
1979 May 29-Jun 1
Gardone Riviera and Brescia (Italy)
Int symposium on applications of radioimmunoassay to CV medicine; int theoretical and
practical course on radioimmunoassay of drugs and hormones.
Fondazione Giovanni Lorenzini, Via Monte Napoleone 23 , I-20121 Milan.
1979 May
(Trinidad)
Commonwealth Youth Programme. Pan-Commonwealth meeting of young Commonwealth leaders.
(YB no B 2059)
Marlborough House. Pall Mall, London SWIY 5HX. UK.
(YB n° A 0855)
Carmelo Giordano. MD. Lagoratono di Nefrologie. Institute Clinica Medicai cattectra.
Universita di Napoli. Naples, Italy.
1979 Jul 2-5
1979 Jul 9-13
London (UK)
Int Whaling Commission. Annual meeting of governments adhering to the int convention of whales as a renewable resource. P : 150-200. C : 17-21.
1979 May
Int Committee of Children s and Adolescents Movements. Seminar P : 50
Lausanne (Switzerland)
Dr T Pexieder. Inst. d'Histologie et d'embryologie. 9 rue du Bugnon, CH-1011 Lausanne
(YB n° A 2811 )
The fled House. Station Road. Histon. Cambridge CB4 4NP. UK.
(Y8 no A 1606)
CIMEA. Budapest II. Ady E.u. 19. Hungary.
• 1979 Jun 1-3
Warsaw (Poland)
Int Federation of Resistance Movements. Symposium medical : La situation des enfants et des adolescents pendant la 2e guerre mondiale dans les pays occupes l'influence du régime de l'occupation sur ta same des enfants et des adolescents pendant la
guerre et sur la santé de la 2e et 3e generation. P : 50-100. (YB no A 1996)
FlR. Postfach 149, Castellezgasae 35. A-1021 Vienna 2
54
1979 Jul 10-13
Paris (France)
European Group for Atomic Spectroscopy. 11th Conference.
Secretariat. Laboratoire de Spectroscope Hertzienne de l'E.N.S.. Université Pierre et
Marie Curie. 4 place Jussiau (tour 12). F-75230 Paris.
1979 Jul 13-17
Fribourg (Switzerland)
Int Catholic Society for Girls. Rencontre des comités nationaux européens : Rôle et
activités des organes internationaux: préparation de l'assemblée générale en 1980. P
50-60.
(YB
n°
A
1455)
Censé Int de l'ACISJF. 1 route du Jura, CH-1700 Fribourg.
1979 Jul 15-20
London (UK)
Int Society and Federation of Cardiology 7th int congress on thrombosis and haemostasis.
(YB no A 2533)
Conference Associates ISTH. 34 Stanford Road. London W8 5PZ. UK.
1979 Jul 16-20
Cambridge (UK)
Int conference on microscopy ana X-ray diffraction.
The Registrar. McCrone Research Institute Ltd. 2 Mc-Crone Mews, Belsize Lane, London NW3 5BG. UK.
1979 Jul 17-20
Cranfield (UK)
Institution of Electrical Engineers. 7th Cranfield int conference on - Mechanised information storage and retrieval systems
The Conference Organising Committee, c/o Cranfield Conference secretarial. IEE. Savoy Place, London WC2R OBL. UK.
1979 Jul 23-25
Compiege (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Pans. Colloque int : Enzymes, organites
et cellules immobilises : aspects biochimiques et physico-chimiques. P : inv.
M D Thomas. Prof a l'Université de Compiegne, Compiegne.
• 1979 Jul 23-26
Harrogate (UK)
European Association for Animal Production. Annual meeting : Various concerning the
fields of animal management and health, cattle production, sheep and goat production
pig production and horse production. P : 6OO. (YB n° A 0546)
Mr J Southgate, Organising Secretary. EAAP 1979. c/o Meat and Livestock Commission, POB 44. Bletchley. Milton Keynes MK2 2EF. UK.
1979 Jul 28-Aug 12
(Hungary)
Int Committee of Children's and Adolescont. Movements. European Children's camp
seminar lot adulte leaders on the education of children in the spirit of peace. P : 1000.
C : european
(YB no 1606)
CIMEA. Budapest II Ady E.u. 19. Hungary.
• 1979 Jul 30-Aug 3
Atlanta (GA, USA)
Int Association for Laryngectomees. Annual meeting. P : 500-600. (YB no A 1299)
Paul J Scrilfignano. Executive Secretary. IAL, c/o American Cancer Society, 777 third
Avenus, New York. NY 10017. USA.
• 1979 Jul
Int Catholic Conference of Scouting. Council. P : 80.
ICCS. Jordi Bonet Reina Victoria 16, Barcelona 21. Spain.
(YB no A 1683)
1979 Aug 12-16
Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Latin American Iron and Steel Institute. Miniplants. Meeting Ex.
(YB n° A 2884)
ILAFA. Dario Urzua 1994, Casilla 16065, Santiago 9, Chile.
1979 Aug 13-17
Washington (USA)
Societas Liturgica. Congress : Ordinations and ministries in the various churches. P :
150.
(YB no A3223)
1234 Massachusetts Avenue. NW, Suite 1009. Washington. DC 20005. USA.
• 1979 Aug 18-23
Konigstein (Germany. Fed Rep)
Int Peace Research Institute. 8th General conference : Political economy and food;
Peace education; World information order World military ordern militarism and disarcial consequences of the new int division of labor.
(YB n° A 2341)
IPRA 8th General conférence, Raimo Vayrynen. POB 70. SF-33101 Tampers 10, Finland.
1979 Aug 19-26
Jerusalem (Israel)
Societas Linguistica Europaea. Annual meeting: Languages, language families and
languege. P : 200. C : 20. (YB n° A 3222)
Societas Linguistica Europaea. Prof Werner Winter. Neue Universitat Olshausenstrasse 40 60. D-23000 Kiel, Germany FR.
• 1979 Aug 25-29
Perth (Australia)
Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration/Australian Council for Educational Administrattion. Annual conference: Education acounrtability. P: 400
(YB no A 4608)
Secretary WAIEA, 8 Kobelke Street. Dianelle, or. CCEA. Faculty of Education, University of New England. Armidale. Australia 2351.
1979 Aug 25-30
Klagenfurt (Austria)
Int Institute for Children's Literature and Reading Research. Annual conference : The
role of the child in our world, as reflected in children's books. P : 200. C : 7.
(YB no A 21 23)
1979 Aug 26-Sep 7
Stirling (UK)
Int Society and Federation o( Cardiology. 12th Ten-day teaching seminar on epidemiology ana prevention of CVO.
(YB no A 2S33)
Dr J Stamler. 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago. IL 60611, USA.
1979 Aug 27-30
Lyon (France)
Int Academy of Legal and Social Medicine. 11th Congress : Thanatology: catastrophe
and collective death; former condition and compensation for bodily injury in common
law; organization of medico-legal service in the hospital; professional discretion and insurances; the oppression of the human body. (YB no A 1130)
Prof Lows Roche. Faculté de Médecine Alexis Carrel, rue Guillaume Paradin, F-69008
Lyon. France.
1979 Aug 28-31
Gottingen (Germany Fed Rep)
Int Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics/ICA/AlAA. Symposium on the mechanics of sound generation in flows. (YB no A 2788)
Prof D r E A Muller. Max-Planck-Institut für Strömungsforschung, Böttingerstrasse 6/8.
D-3400 Gottingen.
1979 Aug 29-Sep 1
Noumea (New Caledonia)
Centre National de ta Recherche Scientifique. Pans. Colloque int ; Substances naturelles d'intérêt biologique. P : inv.
M P Portier, Directeur de l'Institut de Chimie des substances naturelles, c/o CNRS. 15
quai Anatole France, F-75700 Paris.
1979 Aug
Ann Arbor (Ml. USA)
The School of Natural Resources. The University of Michigan/The National Park Service US Department of the Interior. USA/Parks Canada. Department of Indian and
Northern Affairs. Canada. 14th Int seminar on national parks and equivalent reserves.
Tom D Thomas. Director. Int Seminar on National Parks. School of Natural Resources.
The University of Michigan. Ann Arbor. Ml 48109. USA.
1979 Aug
Santiago (Chile)
Mutual Assistance of the Latin American Government Oil Companies/ENAP. Symposium Optimization of intermediate products.
(YB n° A 2967)
Enap. Casilla 3556. Santiago.
1979 Sep 2-8
San Francisco (CA. USA)
Int Cardiovascular Society. 14lh World congress. P; 2500. C . 40-50. (YB no A 1443)
Suite 620. 6 Beacon Street. Boston, MA 02108, USA.
1979 Sep, 3-5
Caracas (Venezuela)
Int Society and Federation of Cardiology, Council on Réhabilitation. Meeting : Problems in cardiac rehabilitation
Dr H Denolin. POB 10. B-1180 Brussels.
55
1979 Nov 6-9
Houston (TX. USA)
Int Society and Federation of Cardiology. 5th Int congress of alherosclerosis
(YB n° A 2533)
Dr A M Gorto. Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine. The Methodist
Hospital, 6516 Bertner Avenue, Mail Station A 601, Houston, TX 77030.
1979 Sep 10-12
Ecully
(France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris. Colloque Int : La metathese P lnv
M Bassel. Maître de recherche. CNRS. 15 quai Anatole France, F-75700 Paris.
1979 Sep 10-13
1979 Nov 9-10
Budapest (Hungary)
Int Society and Federation of Cardiology. Symposium on cardiomyopathy.
Dr Lajos Matos, Hungarian Institute of Cardiology. POB 88-IX. Haman Kato 29, 145O
Budapest.
1979 MOV 12-16
Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Paris. Colloque int : La construction de
Prof R Courbis. Groupe d'analyse macroéconomique appliquée. Université da Paris X.
c/o CNRS 15 quai Anatole France. F-7570O Paris.
1979 Nov
Int Committee of Children's and Adolescents
gion/Waggs European Office. Seminar. (YB n°A 1606)
Strasbourg (France)
Movements/European Seoul Re-
CIMEA. Budapest II. Ady E.u. 19, Hungary, or : European Scout Region. 5 rue du PreJerome, CH-1205 Geneva.
• 1979 Oct 1-3
Manchester (UK)
Int Co-operative Alliance Central Committee Co-operative and leisure. P : 200-300.
C: 65. (YB no A 1710)
Host - Co operative Union Ltd. Holyoake House. Hanover Street. Manchester M60
OAS. UK.
1979 Oct 7-11
Murano-Venice (Italy)
Int Commission on Glase. Int conference : Raw materials for the glass industry. P :
300-500. C : 15-20. (YB no A 1 560)
- Giomate del Vetra 79-Venezia •, Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro. Via Briati 10, 1301 21 Murano-Venice.
1979 Oct 11-13
European Agrarian Jurists, congress. P ; 500.
Berlin (West)
Int congress center Berlin. Postfach 19 1740. Messedamm 22. D-1000 Berlin 19.
1979 Oct 14-21
Santa Fe (NM, USA)
Int Federation of Women Lawyers. Congress ; Legal protection lot the child. P : 300500. C : 35-40.
(YB n° A 2042)
15P Nassau Srreet New York. NY 10038. USA.
1979 Oct 15-18
Petten (Netherlands)
Bond voor Materialenkennis. NL/Commission of the European Communities. Joint
Research Centre. Petten Establishment/The Metals Society. UK. Int conference on the
behaviour of high temperature alloys in aggressive environments. (YB n° B 2442)
Meeting Point Petten. JRC. Petten Establishment. POB 2. NL-17S5 2G Petten.
• 1979 Oct 17-21
Bad-Mergentheim (Germany, Fed Rep)
Int Society of Medical Writters. Congres: Enfants aimes-enfants mal aimes; monologue intérieur et intervention d'auteur, table ronde de poésie. P : 100. C : 17-20. Ex : literary works of the members
Dr Alfred Rottler. Aussere Bayreutherstrasse 72. D-8500 Nurnberg, Germany FR.
1979 Oct last week
Caracas (Venezuela)
Mutual Assistance of the Latin American Government Oil Companies/PDVSA. Symposium: Deep drilling
PDVSA, Apartado 169, Caracas 105.
1979 Oct
Ottawa (Canada)
North Atlantic Assembly. Plenary session-conference. P : 150. C : 15 Ex ; prob.
(YB no A 3004)
Place du Petit Sablon 3. B-1000 Brussels.
Jablonna(Poland)
Institute of Nuclear Research at Swierk. Int conference on polarised neutrons in condensed matter research.
Dr K Blinowski. Institute of Nuclear Research. Laboratory II of solid state physics. Swierk. 05-400 Otwock, Poland.
1979 Sep 10-13
Montpellier,
(FRANCE)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Paris. Colloque int : Lea semiconducteurs magnétiques. P : inv.
M Avérons. Directeur du centre d'étude, d'électronique des solides, c/0 CNRS 15 quai
Anatole France. F-75700 Paris.
1979 Sep 10-15
Grenoble (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris. Colloque int : Recherches de
pointe en egyptologie. P : inv.
Prof J Leclant. Membre de l'Institut Société française d'Egyptologie du collège de
France, c/o CNRS. 15 quai Anatole France. F-75700 Paris.
1979 Sep 13-15
Brussels
(Belgium)
World Mining-World Coal/European Federation of Public Relations/Union Minière. 1 st
Sympromines, F Lekime. c/o Union Minière, rue de la Chancelleria 1, B-1000 Brussels.
1979 Sep 16-21
Copenhagen (Denmark)
Federal Union of European Nationalities/The Danish Institute. Europe of Regions- a
conference on regional autonomy. P : 150, C : 20.
(YB n° A 0924)
Det Danske Selskab. Kultorvel 2. DK-1175 Capenhagen K.
1979 Sep 17-21
(France)
6th Colloquium on high resolution molecular spectroscopy.
Tours
Dr I M Mills. Department of Chemistry. University of Reading. Heading RG6 2AD. UK
1979 Sep 17-22
Meudon
(France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Pans. Colloque int ; Les plasmas fortement correles et la matière dense. P : inv.
M E Schatzman. Directeur de recherche, CNRS. 15 quai Anatole France. F-75700 Paris
1979 Sep 23-27
New Orléans (LA, USA)
Int Society of Tropical Dermatology, 4th World congress: Recent advances in derma-
tology. P : 1000. C : 50.
(YB no A 2573)
Driscoll and Associates. 1925 North Lynn Street Suite 1001, Arlington. VA 22209.
USA.
1979 Sep 23-29
Hamburg (Germany. Fed Rep)
Committee for European Marine Biological Symposia. 14th Symposium : Protection of
life in the sea. P - 200-300. C : 20.
(YB no A 0291 )
Prof Otto Kinne. Biologische Anstalt Helgoland. 2 Hamburg 50. Palmaille 9. FRG.
1979 Sep 24-28
Nancy
(France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris. Colloque int : Migrations organominerales dans les sols tempérés. P : inv.
M B Souchier, Directeur du Centre de Pédologie Biologique. CNRS, 15 Quai Anatole
France, F-75700 Paris.
1979 Oct
Prague (Czechoslovakia)
Trade Unions Int of Workers in Commerce. Seminar : Problems concerning collective
bargaining and agreements. P . 60-70.
(YB no A 3326)
TUIWC. Opletalova 57. 110 00 Prague.
• 1979 Sep 24-28
Tachkent (USSR)
Int Social Security Association. 5th Asian regional conference : Developments and
trends in Asian social security schemes. P : 50-75. C : 25.
(YB no A 2468)
ISSA. CP 1. CH-1211 Geneva 22.
• 1979 Nov 18-22
Bombay (India)
American College of Chest Physicians. 6th Asia Pacific congress on diseases of the
Chest. P : 1 500. C ' 25-30. (YB n° A 0047)
1979 Sep 24-28
Villeurbanne (France)
Société de Chimie Physique. France. Reunion ml : Croissance et propriétés des petits
agrégats métalliques applications a la catalyse et aux processus photographiques.
Dr Aspi R Billimoria. Secretary general VI APCDC, L D Ruparel Medical Centre. Dr An-
Clement Troyanowsky. Secretaire general. Société de Chimie physique. 10 rue Vau-
nne Besant, Road, Worli. Bombay too 025, India.
quelin. F-75231 Paris cede-n 05.
1979 Sep 3-7
Aix en Provence (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Paris. Collogue int : Méthodes de géomé-
trie differentielle en phisique mathematique. P: inv.
Prof J M Sourtau. Centre de Physique théorique. CNRS. 15 quai Anatole France F75700 Paris.
1979 Sep 9-10
Reims (France)
Int Federation of Catholic Pharmacists/Association Française des Pharmaciens Catholiques. Congres : Pharmacie dans l'Europe. P : 1 20-1 SO.
(YB no A 1875)
FIPC. 60 avenue des Pages. F-781 10 Le Vesinet. France.
• 1979 Sep 9-12
Prague,
(Czechoslovakia)
Int League against Unfair Competition. Journées d'étudés. P : 200. C : 15-2O.
2 rue Fabert F- 75007 Paris.
(YB no A 2197)
• 1978 Sep 9-15
Paderbom (Germany Fed Rep)
Int Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. Symposium on approximation methods for navier-stokes (YB no A 2780)
Prof Dr R Rautmann, Gesamthochschule Paderbom. Zimmer Nr D 3 277 Postfach 1621. D-4790 Paderborn
1979 Sep 26-28
Paris (France)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Pans. Colloque int. Ontogenèse et fonctionnement des synapses pheriphériques. P: inv.
Prof J Taxi. Laboratoire de biologie animale. Université de Paris VI. c/o CNRS. 15 quai
Anatole France. F-75700 Paris.
1979 Sep 30-Oct 3
Latin American Iron and Steel Institute. 20. Congress. Ex.
ILAFA. Dano Urzua 1994. Casilla 16065. Santiago 9. Chile.
Santiago (Chile)
(YB no A 2884)
1979 Sep
Moscow (USSR)
Int Committee of Children's and Adolescents' Movements/Women-s Int Democratic
Federation/IPC Int Prep Comrn for IYC Conference : Situation of children in diff. parts
of
the
world.
P
:7800.
(YB
n°
A
1606/A
3438)
WIDF. Unter Den Linden 13. GDR 103 Berlin.
• 1979 Sep
Valette (Malta)
Commonwealth Secretariat. Meeting of Commonwealth Finance ministers.
(YB n° A 0376)
Marlborough House. Pall Mall. London SWIY 5HX. UK.
1979 Sep
Int Committee of Children's and Adolescents Mouvements. Seminar. P : 50.
(YB no A 1606)
CINEA. Budapest. II. Ady E.u. 19, Hungary.
1979 Nov 4-8
Latin American Iron and Steel Institute. Iron Ore. Meeting. Ex.
ILAFA. Dario Urzua, Casilla 16065. Santiago 9. Chile.
56
Bel Horizonte (Brazil)
(Y8 no A 2834)
1979 Nov 27-29
Int Air Transport Association. Annual general meeting. P: 400.
IATA, 26 chemin de Joinville. CH-1216 Cointrin Geneva.
Manila (Philippines)
(YB no A 1149)
1980 Apr 14-18
Oxford (UK)
Royal Society of UK/Int Association of HydrologicaI Sciences /World Meteorological
forecasting to the operation of water resources systems. (YB no A 1340/A 3556)
1979 Dec 2-15
Int Association of Hydrological Sciences/Int Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics. Symposium on ice weather and climate
(YB n° A 1340/A 1312)
c/o IAHS, 19 rue Eugene Carrière, F-75018 Paris.
1979 Dec
Rome (Italy)
Int Study Group for Steroid Hormones. 9th Int meeting : Endocrinological cancer: ovarian function and disease.
Prof Carlo Conti. Int Study Group for Steroid Hormones. Clinica Medica V. Policlinics
Umberto 1°. Universita di Roma. Italy.
1979 Dec-1980 Jan
Int Committee of Children's and Adolescents Movements/1 FM. Seminar.
( Y B n ° A 1606)
CIMEA, Budapest II. Ady E.u. J9. Hungary, or: IFM Secretarial. Place du Samedi 13.
Bte 10. 8-1000 Brussels.
1980 Jan 3-8
Nicosia (Cyprus)
ing the schools of the future-focus on the principal. P : 200. C 10. (YB n° A 4608)
Cyprus Educational Administration Society. c/A Anastassiades. 30 Agapemor Street.
Nicosia. Cyprus, or : CCEA, c/Faculty of Education. University of New England. Armidate. Australia 2351.
• 1980 Jan 30-Feb 6
Newcastle (Australia)
Australasian Universities Language and Literature Association. 20th Congress : Act,
word and implication. P : 300. C 5.
(YB n° A 3856)
Dr A J Hassall. Department of English. University of Newcastle. NSW 2306. Australia.
1980 Feb
Mexico (Mexico)
Int Shooting Union. Bi-annual congress - general assembly. P : 150. C : 120.
(YB no A 2460)
Webergasse 7. 0-8200 Wiesbaden.
1980 Spring
llorin (Nigeria)
Int Society and Federation of Cardiology. Cardiology in West Africa (YB no A 2533)
Dr E G Ofsen. National Heart Hospital, London WIM 8BA, UK.
1980 Apr 1-3
St Andrews (UK)
Institute of Physics. Crystallography Group. Spring meeting.
Dr D F Grant, School of Physical Sciences, University of St Andrews. North Haugh. St
Andrews, Fife KY 16 9SS. Scotland, UK.
Institute of Hydrology. Wallingford, Oxon. UK1980 Apr 18-20
Brighton (UK)
European Glaucoma Society. Symposium : social aspects of glaucoma, prevention, epidemiology: medical therapy and pharmacology: indications for surgery: anatomy and
outflow system: ocular hypertension; perimetry. P : 230. C: 24.
(YB no B 5116)
1st Symposium of the EGS. Local organising Committee. Prof R Smith, Chairman, c/o
2 Harley Street. London WIN 1AA. UK.
• 1980 Apr 19-23
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
American College of Chest Physicians. 2nd Pan American congress on diseases of the
chest. P ; 1000. C : 25-30. (YB no A 0047)
Milton Godoy e Godoy. MD. Secretary general. II PACDC, Rua Antonio Parreiras. 71
Apto 204. lpanema-ZC-37. Rio de Janeiro.
• 1980 Apr 21-25
Brighton
(UK)
European Ophthalmological Society. Congress : The cornea in health and disease. P :
1500,
(YBnoA0817)
Holland Organising Centre. 16 Lange Voorhout. The Hague. Netherlands.
1980 May 12-14
New Orleans (LA, USA)
Int Society of Hypertension. 7th Scientific meeting. (YB no B 2329)
Hilledijk 315. NL-3075 EA Rotterdam. Netherlands.
1980 Jun 15-19
Stockholm (Sweden)
Int Committee on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety. 8th int conference on alcohol,
drugs and traffic safety : How far have reached concerning alcohol, drugs and the motoring
man.
P
:
400.
C
:
25-35.
(YB
n°
A
1628)
Organizing Committee. T 80. POB 5O71. Kartavagen 58. S-102 42 Stockholm.
1980 Jun 22-25
Umes
(Sweden)
Int Committee on Alcohol. Drugs and Traffic Safety. Satellite conference to the 8th int
conference on alcohol drugs and traffic safety : Road side studies; basic research on
alcohol.
P
;
200.
C
:
20.
(YB
no
A
1628)
Organising Committee. Dr Valverius. Box 6016, 900 06 Umea.
1980 Jul 7-11
Sydney (Australia)
Australian Academy of Science. 10th int symposium on carbonadrate chemistry P
300.
POB 783. Canberra city ACT26O1. Australia.
57
• 1930Jul 13-19
Budapest (Hungary)
Int Union of Physiological Sciences. 28th Int congress of physiological sciences + 30
satellite symposia : General physiology, medical and comparting physiology. P : 6000.
(YB no A 2752)
Secretariat. 28th Int congress of physiological sciences. MOTESZ. Congress bureau.
Budapest Pf 32. H-1361 Hungary.
• 1980 Aug 17-22
Calgary (Canada)
American CrystalIographic Association. Meeting.
Dr K A Kerr. Department of Chemistry and Physics. University of Calgary, Calgary. Alberta T2N 1N4. Canada.
1980 Aug 24-30
Boston (MA, USA)
Transplantation Society. 8th Int congress : Experimental ana clinical aspects of tissue
and organ transplantation. P : 1500.
(YB no A 3331)
Dr A P Monaco. Deaconess Hospital. MS Pilgrim Road. Boston. MA 022/5. USA.
1980 Aug 25-28
New York (USA)
Int Savings Banks Institute. 12th Int conference on savings banks marketing and publicity. P ; 150. C . 25.
(YB no A 2428)
Box 331.CH-12n Geneva 25.
• 1980 Oct-27 Nov 6
Int Social Security Association. 20th Genera! assembly. P : 1000. C : 110
(YB no A 2468)
Mr Renaldo Gregorio. Deputy Administrator of the Social Security System. SSS Building. East Avenue. Dillman, Quezon City. Philippines.
1980 Nov
Int Congress of Tropical Medicine and Malaria. 10th int congress.
(YB no A 1701)
Institute of Public Health. University Of the Philippines System. POB EA-460. Manila.
1980 Dec 1-5
Canberra (Australia)
Australian Academy of Science. 4th int symposium on carbohydrate chemistry. P : 300.
POB 783, Canberra cityACT2601. Australia.
1980
La Paz (Bolivia)
Inter-American Savings and Loan Union. 18th Inter-American savings and loan conference P- 500 C: 21.
(YB n° A 1108)
Inter-American Savings and Loan Union. Casilla 4262. Correo Central. Santiago.
Chile.
1980
1980 Aug end
Munich (Germany Fed Rep)
Int Committee for Recording the Productivity of Milk Animals. Biennial session. P :
100
(YB no A 0659)
ICPPMA. Corso Trieste 67.I-00198 Rome.
(Austria)
1980 Aug
Sari (Italy)
European Society of Nematologists. Symposium : Phytonematology. P : 150.
(YB no A 0863)
Prof F Lambert. Lab. Nematologia Agraria. Via G Amendola 16SA. Bah.
• 1980
(Finland)
Unesco/lnt Association of Hydrological Sciences. Symposium on quantitative
changes in river basins due to the human activities.
(YB no A 3383/A 1340)
Unesco. Division of Water Sciences. Place de Fontenoy. F-75700 Paris.
198O Sep 1-6
Krakow (Poland)
9th Int symposium on the reactivity of solids.
Dr J Nowotny. Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry. Polish Academy of
Sciences, ul. Niezapominajek. 30-239 Krakow.
• 1980 Sep 1-6
Munich (Germany Fed Rep)
European Association for Animal Production. Annual meeting : Various concerning the
fields of animal genetics, animal nutrition, animal managment and health, cattle production sheep and goat production, pig production and horse production. P : 600.
(YB no A 0546)
EAAP. Corso Trieste 67.I-O0198 Rome.
1960 Oct 2-7
Varna (Bulgaria)
Int Association against Noise. Congress : The man and the noise of machines - with its
medical, technical and sociological problems. P : few hundreds.
(YB no A 11711
AICB. Dr W Aecherl,, Hirschenplatz 7. CH-6004 Lucerne.
Int Savings Banks Institute. 3rd Int auditing conference. P : 150. C :20.
(YB no A 2428)
Box331, CH-1211 Geneva 25.
• 1980
(UK)
Int Association for the History of Glass. 8th Congress
Musée du Verre, quai de Maastricht 13, 8-4000 Liege. Belgium.
(USA)
Int Society and Federation of Cardiology. Council on Rehabilitation, meeting.
Dr H Denolin. POB 10. B-1180 Brussels.
1980
European Leisure and Recreation Association. 4th Int congress : Leisure and recreation as a socio-political task P: 150. C: 18.
(YB n° A 4557)
ELRA. Seeteldstrasse 8. Postfach. CH-8022 Zurich.
1980
Int Catholic Society for Girls. General assembly.
ACISJF. 1 route du Jura, CH-1700 Fribourg
58
(YB n° A 1220)
1980
(YB no A 1455)
• 1981 Mar Singapore (Singapore)
Asia
Pacific
Dental
Federation,
Singapore
Association.
10th
Asian
Pacific
tal congress P : 30OO C : 25.
(YB n° A 0083)
Dr Oliver Henndige 294, Tanjong Katong Road. Singapore 16
Dental
den
• 1982 Apr 18-24
San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Int. Rehabilitation
Medicine Association. Scientific and technical congress :
Neuromuscularskelalal. cardiopulmonar. vocational rehabilitation. P : 1500. C . 65.
(YB n° A 4102)
Herman J Flex. MO. Chairman IRMA IV. POB 11696. Caparra Station. Puerto Rico or •
Df Christophe D Evans. MRCP. D Phys. Med. Secretary IRMA. Royal Hospital and
Home for Incurables. West Hill/Putney. London SW15 3SW. UK.
1981 May 19-21
(West)
Int Savings Banks Institute. 13th World congress of savings banks
Box 331. CH-1211 Genva 25.
Berlin
(YB no A 2428)
1981 May or Aug
Perth (Australia)
Australian Academy of Science. 4th int conference on trace element metabolism in man
and animals. P : 300.
POB 783. Canberra city, ACT 2601. Australia.
• 1981 Jun 24-Jul 1
Brussels (Belgium)
Int Society of Radiology. 15th Int congress : Radiology. P : 8000-10000. Ex.
(YB no A 2566)
Secretariat ICR-81. 2348 avenue Winston Churchill. Bte 16.B-1180 Brussels.
• 1981 Jul 3rd week
Vancouver (Canada)
Altrusa Int. Biennial int convention, P : 1000. C: 14. (YB n° A 0045)
Mrs D Kuehlhom. Exec. Dir. Altrusa Int. inc. 8 So Michigan avenue. Chicago IL.
60604. USA.
• 1981 Aug 15-25
Ottawa (Canada)
Int Union of Crystallography. 12th General assembly and int congress.
13 White Friars. Chester CH1 INZ. UK.
1982 Aug 23-27
London (UK)
Transplantation Society. 9th Int congress : Experimental and clinical aspects of tissue
and organ transplantation. P; 1500.
(YB no A 3331)
Mr R A Sells. Renal Transplant Unit Liverpool Royal Infirmary. Pembroke Place. Liverpool L3 SPU.
1982
Int Association for the History of Glass. 9th Congress.
Musée au Verre, quai de Maastricht 13. 8-4000 Liege. Belgium.
(USA)
(YB n° A 1220)
1982
(USSR)
Int Association on the Genesis of ore Deposits. Symposium. P : 300-500. C : 20-30.
(YB n°A 1378)
Dr M Stemprock. Geological Survey. Malostranskee narn 19, 118 21 Prague 1. Czechoslovakia.
1983 Jul 3rd week
Atlanta (GA. USA)
Altrusa Int Biennial int convention. P : 1000. C: 14.
(YB n° A 0045)
Mrs D Kuehthorn.Exec. Dir.. 8 So Michigan Avenue. Chicago. IL 60604. USA.
1983 Aug 17-24
Int Society for Plant Pathology. 4th int congress on plant pathology. P : 1500.
(YB no B 5789)
Australian Academy of Science. POB 763. Canberra city. ACT 2601. Australia.
1983 Aug 28-Sep 2
Sydney (Australie)
Int Union of Physiological Sciences. 29th int congress. P : 2500.
(YB n° A 2752)
Australian Academy of Science, POB 783, Canberra city. ACT 2601. Australia.
1983
Int Association for Classical Archaeology. 12th congress.
36 Piazza san Marco, I-Rome.
(YB no
A
1182)
1984 Aug 27-31
Sydney (Australia)
Int Geographical Union. Int congress. P : 2000.
(YB no A 2079)
Australian Academy of Science. POB 783. Canberra city ACT 2601, Australia
Have you renewed your subscription for 1979 ?
If you have, may we thank you for having done so, and we trust
that you will enjoy reading Transnational Associations in
1979.
Avez-vous
1979?
renouvelé
votre
abonnement
pour
Si oui, nous vous remercions vivement de l'avoir fait et de
l'avoir fait vite.
Si non, voyez page 1 tous les renseignements concernant les
abonnements.
Notez que les prix restent inchangés pour 1979.
virement ou votre ordre.
59
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
CALENDAR 1979
Are there 40 or 15.000 international meetings each year in the world ? How can you know where they
are, who will be organizing them, how you can participate ?
The ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS CALENDAR gives the answer !
Packed with the most recent information derived from PRIMARY sources, a wealth of invaluable
information about future reunions, it is divided for your convenience into :
_ A chronological list giving for each of the principal meetings from 1979 on, the date, the place, the
name and address of the organizer, the type of meeting, the theme, the number of participants expected, indication of any exhibitions planned in conjunction.
_ A geographical list permitting you to locate meetings by the city and country in which they will be
held, giving at the same all the pertinent information about them.
_ An international organization index giving both chronological and geographical references to
meetings which they organize.
_ An analytical index of organizations and themes of meetings, giving where and when these meetings
will be held.
The calendar, published in March 1979, is complemented by monthly supplements appearing in the
magazine « Transnational Associations ».
IMPORTANT : this Calendar contains important new information, at least 80 % of which is previously
unpublished in the 1978 edition, the remainder being completely updated to ensure the most accurate
and reliable data available.
Order your International Congress Calendar, 19th Edition, 1979, NOW !
(due out: February 1979)
Si vous désirez recevoir la 19e édition, 1979, du Calendrier, qui sortira de presse en février 1979,
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... exemplaire(s) du ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS CALENDAR 1979
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Prix : FB 900.- ou équivalent
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60
ASSOCIATIONS TRANSNATIONALES, 1-2 1979

- Union of International Associations

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