Background
In 1944, delegates from 54 nations gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Stevens Hotel in Chicago at the invitation of the United States of America. At this event, the participants concluded and signed the Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known more popularly as the ‘Chicago Convention’, the defining international agreement which has since permitted the global civil aviation system to develop peacefully and in a manner benefitting all peoples and nations of the world. International Civil Aviation Day was established in 1994 as part of ICAO’s 50th anniversary activities.
In 1996, pursuant to an ICAO initiative and with the assistance of the Canadian Government, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/51/33, which officially recognized 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day in the UN system. The document recalled “that the preamble to the Convention states that the future development of international civil aviation can greatly help to create and preserve friendship and understanding among the nations and peoples of the world.” Further, the General Assembly urged Governments as well as relevant national, regional, international and intergovernmental organizations to take appropriate steps to observe International Civil Aviation Day.
The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.
As the UN and world nations have now adopted Agenda 2030, and embarked on a new era in global sustainable development, the importance of aviation as an engine of global connectivity has never been more relevant to the Chicago Convention’s objectives to look to international flight as a fundamental enabler of global peace and prosperity.
Every five years, coinciding with ICAO anniversaries (2014/2019/2024/2029/etc.), the ICAO Council establishes a special anniversary theme for International Civil Aviation Day. Between these anniversary years, Council representatives select a single theme for the full four-year intervening period.
The Council has decided that from now until 2023, the theme will be: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.
75 Years of Connecting the World
Seventy-five years after ICAO’s foundation, the International Civil Aviation network carries over four billion passengers annually.
The global Air Transport sector supports 65.5 million jobs and USD 2.7 trillion in global economic activity, with over 10 million women and men working within the industry to ensure 120,000 flights and 12 million passengers a day are carried safely to their destinations. The wider supply chain, flow-on impacts and jobs in tourism made possible by air transport show that at least 65.5 million jobs and 3.6 per cent of global economic activity are supported by the aviation industry according to research by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG).
Learn more about ICAO 75 Years of Connecting the World.
Source: United Nations website
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