Congress Facts

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Page context: The 41st Congress of the ITF > Congress Background and ITF History > Congress Facts

• The first official ITF Congress was held in London from 14–16 June 1898, under the ITF’s first president, Tom Mann, and International Secretary Tom Chambers.

• The 1924 Congress, in Hamburg, was the first to be attended by affiliated unions from outside Europe.

• It was at the 1928 Congress in Stockholm that the ITF first passed a motion recognising the fullest co-operation of all transport workers “regardless of colour or race”.

• The 1921 Congress in Geneva was the first one to split into special conferences for transport’s different industrial sectors.

• On 17 July 1980, the official diary of US President Jimmy Carter reads: “5:28 – 5:45, the president attended the 33rd Congress of the International Transport Workers’ Federation”.

• The 1980 Congress in Miami was the first held outside Europe.

• London, Stockholm and Vienna have hosted the ITF Congress on four occasions, more than any other cities.

• The London Congress in 1930 was the first time a representative from the Far East, S Mogi of the Japanese Seamen’s Union, was elected to the ruling General Council of the ITF. “It has given the Eastern workers for the first time a voice in the international trade union movement,” he said.

• The 39th Congress in New Delhi was the first Congress held in the Asia/Pacific region.

• By the end of Congress 2002 in Vancouver, delegates at ITF Congresses had met for a total of over 150 days, or nearly half a year, since the ITF was founded in 1896.

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