International Geographical Union

International Geographical Union (IGU)

Abbreviation	IGU
Formation	1922; 102 years ago (1922)
Type	INGO
Region served	Worldwide
Official language	English, French
President	Michael Meadows
Affiliations	International Science Council
Website	IGU-Online.org

The International Geographical Union (IGU; French: Union Géographique Internationale, UGI) is an international geographical society. The first International Geographical Congress was held in Antwerp in 1871. Subsequent meetings led to the establishment of the permanent organization in Brussels, Belgium, in 1922.

The International Geographical Union adheres to the International Science Council (ISC), which it recognizes as the coordinating body for the international organisations of science.

Objectives

The IGU has seven objectives or aims:

1. to promote the study of geographical problems;
2. to initiate and co-ordinate geographical research requiring international co-operation and to promote its scientific discussion and publication;
3. to provide for the participation of geographers in the work of relevant international organizations;
4. to facilitate the collection and diffusion of geographical data and documentation in and between all member countries;
5. to promote International Geographical Congresses, regional conferences and specialized symposia related to the objectives of the Union;
6. to participate in any other appropriate form of international co-operation with the object of advancing the study and application of geography;
7. to promote international standardization or compatibility of methods, nomenclature, and symbols employed in geography.

Senior Officers

The following lists contain the Senior Officers of the IGU from 1922 to present:

Presidents

• 2021–present Michael Meadows, South Africa
• 2016–21 Yukio Himiyama, Japan
• 2012–16 Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kolosov, Russia
• 2008–12 Ronald Francis Abler, United States
• 2006–07José Palacio-Prieto, Mexico, acting
• 2004–06 Adalberto Vallega, Italy, died in office
• 2000–04 Anne Buttimer, Ireland
• 1996–2000 Bruno Messerli, Switzerland
• 1992–96 Herman Th. Verstappen, Netherlands
• 1988–92 Roland J. Fuchs, United States
• 1984–88 Peter Scott, Australia
• 1980–84 Akin L. Mabogunje, Nigeria
• 1976–80 Michael J. Wise, United Kingdom
• 1972–76 Jean Dresch, France
• 1968–72 Stanisław Leszczycki, Poland
• 1964–68 Shiba P. Chatterjee, India
• 1960–64 Carl Troll, Germany
• 1956–60 Hans Wilhelmsson Ahlmann, Sweden
• 1952–56 L. Dudley Stamp, United Kingdom
• 1949–52 George B. Cressey, United States
• 1938–49 Emmanuel de Martonne, France
• 1934–38 Sir Charles Close, United Kingdom
• 1931–34 Isaiah Bowman, United States
• 1928–31 General Robert Bourgeois, France
• 1924–28 General Nicola Vacchelli, Italy
• 1922–24 Prince Roland Bonaparte, France

Secretaries-General and Treasurers

• 2021–present Barbaros Gönençgil, Turkey, acting
• 2010–20 Michael Meadows, South Africa
• 2008–10 Yu Woo-ik, South Korea
• 2000–08 Ronald Francis Abler, United States
• 1992–2000 Eckart Ehlers, Germany
• 1984–92 Leszek A. Kosiński, Canada
• 1976–84 Walther Manshard, Germany
• 1968–76 Chauncy D. Harris, United States
• 1956–68 Hans Boesch, Switzerland
• 1949–56 George H. T. Kimble, Canada
• 1940-49 Marguerite Lefèvre, Belgium
• 1938–40 Paul Michotte, Belgium
• 1931–38 Emmanuel de Martonne, France
• 1928–31 Filippo De Filippi, Italy
• 1922–28 Sir Charles Close, United Kingdom

Commissions and Task Forces

The IGU is organized into a number of commissions and task forces that deal with specific topics.^[1]

The commission topics include e.g. specific approaches (e.g. Applied Geography), topics (e.g. Climatology, Health and Environment), methods (e.g. Geographical Information Science), and spatial examples (e.g. Mediterranean Basin). There are also commissions for the International Olympiad and Geographical Education.

The two task forces are "Young and Early-Career Geographers" and "Centennial and Sesquicentennial".

IGU-CGE

The IGU-CGE (Commission on Geographical Education) focuses on geography education. It is currently headed by co-chairs Clare Brooks (UK) and Chew-Hung Chang (Singapore).^[2]

It publishes the IRGEE journal and organizes yearly conferences.^[3] The "International Charter on Geographical Education" constitutes an international agreement on different aspects of geography education with global impacts. The 2016 charter features important geography education research questions and policy recommendations. As such the charter is: Convinced that geographical education is indispensable to the development of responsible and active citizens in the present and future world; Conscious that geography can be an informing, enabling and stimulating subject at all levels in education, and contributes to a lifelong enjoyment and understanding of our world; Aware that students require increasing international competence in order to ensure effective cooperation on a broad range of economic, political, cultural and environmental issues in a shrinking world; Concerned that geographical education is neglected in some parts of the world, and lacks structure and coherence in others; Ready to assist colleagues in counteracting geographical illiteracy in all countries of the world. ^[4] In the 1992 charter there is also information on geographic questions, key concepts, approaches and the selection of spatial examples.^[5]

List of congresses

International Geographical Congresses have been held as follows:^[6]

Congress number	Year	City
1st	1922	Paris
2nd	1928	Cambridge
3rd	1931	Paris
4th	1934	Warsaw
5th	1938	Amsterdam
6th	1949	Lisbon
7th	1952	Washington, D.C.
8th	1956	Rio de Janeiro
9th	1960	Stockholm
10th	1964	London
11th	1968	New Delhi
12th	1972	Montreal
13th	1976	Moscow
14th	1980	Tokyo
15th	1984	Paris
16th	1988	Sydney
17th	1992	Washington, D.C.
18th	1996	The Hague
19th	2000	Seoul
20th	2004	Glasgow
21st	2008	Tunis
22nd	2012	Cologne
23rd	2016	Beijing
24th	2021	Istanbul[upper-alpha 1]
*	2022	Paris[upper-alpha 2]
25th	2024	Dublin
26th	2028	Melbourne

Notes

References

• Kish, George (1992) "International Geographical Union: A Brief History" GeoJournal 26, No. 2:224-228 ISSN 0343-2521
• Marie-Claire Robic, Anne-Marie Briend, Mechtild Rössler (eds.) (1996) Geographers to the world. The International Geographical Union and the International Geographical Congress Paris: L'Harmattan ISBN:9782738445735
• Dunbar, Gary S. (2001) Geography: Discipline, Profession and Subject since 1870: An International Survey Kluwer Academic Publishers ISBN:1-4020-0019-7 pg 36
• Lidstone, John; Williams, Michael (2006) Geographical Education in a Changing World: Past Experience, Current Trends and Future Challenges Springer ISBN:978-1-4020-4806-7 pg 39
• International Geographical Union (IGU)
• Royal Irish Academy (RIA)

External links

• International Geographical Union/Union Géographique Internationale
• International Geographical Union - Russian National Committee

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