International Union of Speleology (french: links=no, Union Internationale de Spéléologie, UIS) is a scientific

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...

dedicated to the international promotion and coordination of cave and karst research. Founded in 1965, UIS is a member of the

International Science Council The International Science Council (ISC) is an international non-governmental organization that unites scientific bodies at various levels across the social and natural sciences. The ISC was formed with its inaugural general assembly on 4 July 20 ...

in Paris and cooperates with

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

. In 2021-2022, UIS organized the ''International Year of Caves and Karst''.

History

The international speleological community, mostly Europeans, agreed in a meeting in 1949 in Valence-sur-Rhone, France, to hold international speleological congresses beginning in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

in 1953. These efforts continued during the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...

. At the 4th International Congress of Speleology in

Postojna Postojna (; german: Adelsberg, it, Postumia) is a town in the traditional region of Inner Carniola, from Trieste, in southwestern Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Postojna.

Ljubljana Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center. During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...

(1965), a group of speleologists proposed to establish an association that would bring together scientists and cavers on both sides of the

Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. The term symbolizes the efforts by the Soviet Union (USSR) to block itself and its ...

and coordinate their activities. At the closing ceremony of this congress, the UIS was finally launched. However, the confirmation of its organization and statutes did not take place until the following congress in

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the Sw ...

in 1969.

International Congresses of Speleology

Meetings were held in the following years:

Structure

The main body of the UIS is the General Assembly, which is composed of delegates from approximately 60 member countries and meets every four years on the occasion of the International Congresses on Speleology. The voting delegates to the General Assembly are sent by the national scientific societies and associations. At present, the UIS is presided over by a Bureau, which consists of an Executive Committee of five officers (

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

, two Vice Presidents,

General Secretary Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

, and Treasurer), who are joined on the Bureau by seven Adjunct Secretaries. Each Bureau member must be from a different country. These Bureau members are elected at the General Assemblies for a period of four years. The Bureau is assisted by an Advisory Committee, consisting mostly of the past presidents and other past officers. UIS activities take place in a number of commissions and working groups, such as the UIS Informatics Commission formed in 1986, the Speleotherapy Commission or the Karst Hydrogeology and Speleogenesis Commission. Other UIS undertakings include the ''Speleological Abstracts'' (SA/BBS), an annual survey of the world's speleological literature, or the ''Karst Information Portal'' (KIP), an open-access digital library on karst environments.

List of Presidents

Past presidents by years in office:

List of General Secretaries

Former general secretaries:

Publications

Since 1978, UIS publishes the ''

International Journal of Speleology The ''International Journal of Speleology'' is since 1978 the official peer-reviewed scientific journal of the ''Union Internationale de Spéléologie''. Since 1981 it has been published by the Società Speleologica Italiana. The ''International ...

.''

References

External links

International Union of Speleology (UIS)

UIS History Video, 1965-2015
{{Authority control Members of the International Council for Science Caving organizations Organizations established in 1965 Postojna 1965 establishments in Slovenia Members of the International Science Council