ICA News: 50th Anniversary of ICA, Special Issue

Summary

This article is a special issue of ICA News commemorating the 50th anniversary of the International Cartographic Association (ICA), documenting in detail the celebration held in Bern, Switzerland, on 9-10 June 2009. The ICA was officially founded in Bern on 9 June 1959, when a meeting chaired by Professor Eduard Imhof brought together delegates from 13 nations, who voted to establish an independent international cartographic organization and elected an Executive Committee with Imhof as its first President. The anniversary event was hosted by the Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), with invitations extended to all past Presidents, Vice Presidents, Secretaries General, representatives of the founding nations, and delegates from sister international organizations. The two-day programme was structured in two parts: the first day celebrated the past, with testimonials from former leaders covering key moments in the Association's first 50 years; the second day focused on contemporary challenges and future prospects, addressing topics such as digital cartography, geographic information science, and the evolving role of national mapping agencies. The special issue also highlights the work of ICA Commissions, an exhibition on Eduard Imhof's cartographic artistry, and Switzerland's National Geographic Data Infrastructure (NGDI) initiative. The article underscores ICA's significant contributions to international cooperation, standard-setting, education and training, and scholarly exchange in cartography, while looking ahead to the Association's future in an era of globalization and digital transformation.