International Geographical Union
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2013) |
Union géographique internationale (UGI) | |
File:International Geographical Union logo.png | |
Abbreviation | IGU/UGI |
---|---|
Formation | 1922 |
Founded at | Brussels, Belgium |
Type | INGO |
Location |
|
Region served | Worldwide |
Official language | English, French, Spanish |
South Africa Michael Meadows | |
Turkey Barbaros Gönençgil | |
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 1922 in Brussels, Belgium. 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:
- to promote the study of geographical problems;
- to initiate and co-ordinate geographical research requiring international co-operation and to promote its scientific discussion and publication;
- to provide for the participation of geographers in the work of relevant international organizations;
- to facilitate the collection and diffusion of geographical data and documentation in and between all member countries;
- to promote International Geographical Congresses, regional conferences and specialized symposia related to the objectives of the Union;
- to participate in any other appropriate form of international co-operation with the object of advancing the study and application of geography;
- 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
- 2024–present France Nathalie Lemarchand
- 2021–24 South Africa Michael Meadows
- 2016–21 Japan Yukio Himiyama
- 2012–16 Russia Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kolosov
- 2008–12 United States Ronald Francis Abler
- 2006–07 Mexico José Palacio-Prieto (acting)
- 2004–06 Italy Adalberto Vallega (died in office)
- 2000–04 Republic of Ireland Anne Buttimer
- 1996–2000 Switzerland Bruno Messerli
- 1992–96 Kingdom of the Netherlands Herman Th. Verstappen
- 1988–92 United States Roland J. Fuchs
- 1984–88 Australia Peter Scott
- 1980–84 Nigeria Akin L. Mabogunje
- 1976–80 United Kingdom Michael J. Wise
- 1972–76 France Jean Dresch
- 1968–72 Polish People's Republic Stanisław Leszczycki
- 1964–68 India Shiba P. Chatterjee
- 1960–64 West Germany Carl Troll
- 1956–60 Sweden Hans Wilhelmsson Ahlmann
- 1952–56 United Kingdom L. Dudley Stamp
- 1949–52 United States George B. Cressey
- 1938–49 French Fourth Republic Emmanuel de Martonne
- 1934–38 United Kingdom Sir Charles Close
- 1931–34 United States Isaiah Bowman
- 1928–31 French Third Republic General Robert Bourgeois
- 1924–28 Italy General Nicola Vacchelli
- 1922–24 French Third Republic Prince Roland Bonaparte
Secretaries-General and Treasurers
- 2021–present Turkey Barbaros Gönençgil
- 2010–20 South Africa Michael Meadows
- 2008–10 South Korea Yu Woo-ik
- 2000–08 United States Ronald Francis Abler
- 1992–2000 Germany Eckart Ehlers
- 1984–92 Canada Leszek A. Kosiński
- 1976–84 West Germany Walther Manshard
- 1968–76 United States Chauncy D. Harris
- 1956–68 Switzerland Hans Boesch
- 1949–56 Canada George H. T. Kimble
- 1940-49 Belgium Marguerite Lefèvre
- 1938–40 Belgium Paul Michotte
- 1931–38 French Third Republic Emmanuel de Martonne
- 1928–31 Italy Filippo De Filippi
- 1922–28 United Kingdom Sir Charles Close
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 | French Third Republic Paris |
2nd | 1928 | United Kingdom Cambridge |
3rd | 1931 | French Third Republic Paris |
4th | 1934 | Second Polish Republic Warsaw |
5th | 1938 | Kingdom of the Netherlands Amsterdam |
6th | 1949 | Portugal Lisbon |
7th | 1952 | United States Washington, D.C. |
8th | 1956 | Brazil Rio de Janeiro |
9th | 1960 | Sweden Stockholm |
10th | 1964 | United Kingdom London |
11th | 1968 | India New Delhi |
12th | 1972 | Canada Montreal |
13th | 1976 | Soviet Union Moscow |
14th | 1980 | Japan Tokyo |
15th | 1984 | France Paris |
16th | 1988 | Australia Sydney |
17th | 1992 | United States Washington, D.C. |
18th | 1996 | Kingdom of the Netherlands The Hague |
19th | 2000 | South Korea Seoul |
20th | 2004 | United Kingdom Glasgow |
21st | 2008 | Tunisia Tunis |
22nd | 2012 | Germany Cologne |
23rd | 2016 | China Beijing |
24th | 2021 | Turkey Istanbul[upper-alpha 1] |
* | 2022 | France Paris[upper-alpha 2] |
25th | 2024 | Republic of Ireland Dublin |
26th | 2028 | Australia Melbourne |
27th | 2032 | Spain |
Notes
- ↑ Originally scheduled for 2020, the Congress was postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ↑ Extraordinary Congress for IGU Centenary.
References
- ↑ "Commissions". IGU Online. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ↑ "People - IGU CGE". IGU CGE. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ↑ "Home - IGU CGE". IGU CGE. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ↑ "2016 Charter - IGU CGE". IGU CGE. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ↑ "1992 Charter - IGU CGE". IGU CGE. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ↑ "List of congresses". International Geographical Union. 3 August 2021.
- 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)