INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

IFTDO is a worldwide network of human resource professionals committed to identifying, developing, and transferring knowledge, skills and technology to enhance personal and organisational growth, human performance, productivity, and sustainable development. Its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland.

IFTDO has special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (UN) and is an accredited non-governmental organisation (NGO) to the UN Department of Public Information in New York and the UN's International Labour Organization in Geneva, thus enabling members' voices to be heard by international policy makers influencing outcomes in human development.

IFTDO is a diversified network of human resource management and development organisations linking HR professionals in HR societies, corporations, universities, consultancies, government organisations and enterprises. Its 150 member organisations represent more than 500,000 professionals in over 50 countries.

Member organisations have opportunities to:

• participate as delegates, presenters and exhibitors at IFTDO annual conferences and special events and receive a discount of 20 per cent on conference registration
• increase recognition as an internationally active organisation by using the IFTDO logo on member publications, including letterheads
• find and share the world's thinking and practices through the IFTDO Bookstore
• shape state-of-the-art international development projects
• enhance visibility through participation in IFTDO leadership on the Federation's Executive Board, Task Forces, Committees and Special Projects
• expand capabilities and scope of operations through exchanging strategies, techniques and technologies
• learn about upcoming important HR events and new HR developments
• contribute articles for publication in the quarterly IFTDO NEWS
• contribute to and learn from the IFTDO web site Home Page.

History
IFTDO was created through the formalisation of an agreement among 23 national human resource training and development professional associations meeting in Geneva, Switzerland in 1972, dedicated to their growth as institutions influencing and being influenced by the early stages of globalisation. It was financed early on as a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to promote democracy and civil society through the establishment of national professional human resource development societies. The project was implemented by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). It has conducted an annual conference each year since its founding.

IFTDO is a charity registered with the Charity Commission No. 326633 and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 1829725. It is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (C) (3) organisation in the United States.

To learn more about IFTDO, browse the home page at www.iftdo.org. Enquiries may be addressed to Dr. Anthony Twigger, IFTDO Executive Director. His contact coordinates are:

IFTDO WCC 5 route des Morillons CP2100  CH 1211 Geneva 2 Switzerland Tel: +41 22 791 6714 Fax: +41 22 710 2377 E-mail: ajt@iftdo.ch

Dr. Anthony Twigger at the opening ceremony of the 2002 IFTDO Conference held in Bahrain in April 2002.