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by Jacques de Mévius, Secretary General, Union of International Associations, UIA
The Union of International Associations is remarkably modern for an institute which has been in existence for over one hundred years. The services and data it offers to associations and other bodies working with associations are extensive and can be tailored to the needs of every user.
This monthly newsletter in partnership with CIM is a lively and exciting venture extending our online offer.
As the Secretary General of the UIA, I oversee the daily work of the institute, as it continues to make every effort to provide up-to-date, reliable and comprehensive information on global civil society. Our small but dedicated staff is always willing to take on board new methods, while maintaining the consistency which allows long-term comparisons. The ever more extensive use of technology means that the vast databases, constantly reviewed and revised, are accessible on line and users can obtain exactly the material they require in the form they wish it, although the traditional printed version is also still available.
The chief publication of the UIA is the Yearbook of International Organizations, with details of more than 60,000 organizations across the world, including not only their names and addresses, but also officers, finances, conference history, relations with other bodies, and more. Associations can find partners for projects of greater scope than they can envisage on their own, or identify others in related fields for mutual support and joint efforts. This huge resource can be used by conference centres or meeting organizers to offer facilities and assistance to international associations, aiding and underpinning their endeavours. The various volumes of the Yearbook deal with statistics and patterns, people involved and their biographies, a geographical index and country directory – so many different ways of categorizing organizations, clearly arranged and made accessible for users.
The Yearbook has recently been put in the hands of the publishing house Brill, a leading international academic publisher in the humanities and social sciences. Its experience and expertise are entirely appropriate to the field covered by UIA.
The UIA is pleased and proud to have been entrusted with the creation and maintenance of UNESCO's database of non-governmental organizations which have official relations with UNESCO, and is ready to carry out similar tasks for other groups.
Special services throughout the year are offered to Associate Members, for an annual fee. In October our Round Table meeting for Associate Members and association representatives was very well attended and enthusiastically received, so we are looking forward to arranging our 2012 event.
The annual report on statistics of international meetings has proven to be remarkably popular. Associate Members have exclusive use for a period of three months, then the report is made available for general sale in mid-September.
Another initiative of the UIA which has already amassed an extraordinary amount of information is the International Congress Calendar, which now lists over 350,000 events from 1851 to the present, including details of 15,000 events planned for future years. The comprehensive Calendar is available to all Associate Members as well as separately.
Finally, there is the set of databases known as the Encyclopedia, an immense resource weaving together world problems as perceived by international associations, with details of strategies deployed and human values that underpin them. The Encyclopedia is available on-line free of charge.
Constantly evolving, adding to the collected history of international civil society and increasing its value, the UIA is moving into its second century with enthusiasm. One of the most exciting challenges for the UIA today is to make its data and services available to everyone who needs them. I am glad to be part of this unique undertaking.