The 80th anniversary
On 1 November 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 on 7 December 1944 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. Since ICAO’s inception, aviation has become a linchpin of human activity and socio-economic development.
The year 2024 corresponds to the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Chicago convention; this landmark agreement established the core principles permitting international transport by air, and led to the creation of the Specialized Agency which has overseen it ever since, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The theme for the related campaign to promote the contribution ICAO makes to the aviation sector is: “Safe Skies, Sustainable Future: ICAO80“: i.e., celebrating the past and advocating for the safe, secure, and sustainable development of aviation extending access to those who need it most while ensuring that we do not compromise on these imperatives.
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Within the framework of ICAO’s 80th anniversary, the Canadian Delegation to ICAO developed a project for a Universal Postcard (see below), meaning that it could be sent from anywhere to anywhere, just by affixing a stamp at the top right corresponding to the rates of the country from where the postcard is sent and filling in the address of the recipient. So, the postcard does not have a postage stamp affixed, nor is it marked with an official impress or seal or postmark. The aircraft is a generic one.
This postcard was released during the three-day off-site strategy meeting of the Council (COSM) held in Ottawa from 3 to 5 June 2024. As part of a visit to Ottawa, ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano and Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar (see picture below) were recognized during the question periods at Canada’s Senate and House of Commons. Their three-day mission to Canada’s capital aimed to further collaboration between ICAO and the Canadian Government on shared objectives.
Council members discussed the ICAO Strategic Plan 2026-2050 and measures to ensure the organization's financial sustainability. These deliberations will inform preparations for the upcoming 42nd Session of the ICAO Assembly in September 2025, where Member States will again address key challenges and opportunities facing aviation.
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Front and back of the Universal Postcard distributed during the strategy meeting of the ICAO Council (COSM) held in early June 2024.
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(From left to right) ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar and ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano at Ottawa (Canadian Parliament). |
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