International Geographical Union facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | IGU |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1922 |
| Type | INGO |
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Region served
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Worldwide |
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Official language
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English, French |
 Michael Meadows |
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| Affiliations | International Science Council |
| Website | IGU-Online.org |
The International Geographical Union (often called IGU) is a worldwide group for people who study geography. Think of it as a big club for geographers from all over the world!
The first big meeting of geographers happened in Antwerp in 1871. Later on, in 1922, the IGU was officially created in Brussels, Belgium.
The IGU works closely with the International Science Council (ISC). The ISC helps organize many different international science groups.
Contents
What the IGU Does
The IGU has seven main goals. These goals help geographers work together and share their knowledge across the globe.
- Promote geographical studies: They encourage people to learn more about geography.
- Start and coordinate research: They help organize big geography projects that need scientists from different countries to work together. They also help share these findings.
- Include geographers in global work: They make sure geographers can join other important international groups.
- Share geographical information: They help collect and spread facts and documents about geography among all member countries.
- Organize events: They set up big international meetings, smaller regional conferences, and special workshops.
- Work with others: They join in any other helpful international projects that advance the study of geography.
- Standardize methods: They work to make sure that geographical methods, names, and symbols are the same or similar everywhere. This makes it easier for geographers to understand each other's work.
IGU Leaders
The IGU has important leaders who guide the organization. These leaders include a President and a Secretary-General.
IGU Presidents
The President is the main leader of the IGU. Here are some of the people who have served as President:
- 2021–present: Michael Meadows from South Africa
- 2016–2021: Yukio Himiyama from Japan
- 2012–2016: Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kolosov from the Russian Federation
- 2008–2012: Ronald Francis Abler from the United States
- 1922–1924: Prince Roland Bonaparte from France (the first President)
Secretaries-General and Treasurers
The Secretary-General helps manage the IGU's daily activities and finances.
- 2021–present: Barbaros Gönençgil from Turkey (acting)
- 2010–2020: Michael Meadows from South Africa
- 2008–2010: Yu Woo-ik from South Korea
- 2000–2008: Ronald Francis Abler from the United States
- 1922–1928: Sir Charles Close from the United Kingdom (the first Secretary-General)
IGU Groups and Projects
The IGU has different groups called "commissions" and "task forces." These groups focus on specific topics within geography.
For example, some commissions study particular approaches like "Applied Geography." Others focus on specific topics like "Climatology" or "Health and Environment." There are also groups for methods, like "Geographical Information Science." Some even look at specific places, like the "Mediterranean Basin."
The IGU also has commissions for the International Geography Olympiad (a competition for students) and for "Geographical Education."
The two main task forces are "Young and Early-Career Geographers" (for new geographers) and "Centennial and Sesquicentennial" (which looks at the IGU's history).
IGU-CGE: Geography Education
The IGU-CGE stands for the Commission on Geographical Education. This group focuses on how geography is taught in schools and universities. It is currently led by Clare Brooks (UK) and Chew-Hung Chang (Singapore).
This commission publishes a journal called IRGEE and holds conferences every year. They also created the "International Charter on Geographical Education." This charter is an important agreement about teaching geography worldwide.
The 2016 charter says that learning geography is super important. It helps young people become responsible citizens. It also helps them understand our world better and enjoy learning about it throughout their lives. The charter also points out that students need to be good at working with people from different countries. This is because many global issues, like economic, political, cultural, and environmental problems, need everyone to work together.
The IGU-CGE is worried that geography education is sometimes ignored or not well-organized in some parts of the world. They want to help stop "geographical illiteracy" (not knowing enough about geography) everywhere.
International Congresses
The IGU holds big meetings called International Geographical Congresses. Geographers from all over the world come together to share their research and ideas.
* Extraordinary Congress
| 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 |
| * | 2022 | Paris |
| 25th | 2024 |  Dublin |
| 26th | 2028 | Melbourne |
See also
In Spanish: Unión Geográfica Internacional para niños
