In many ways, 1977 marked a year of firsts: the Concorde jet inaugurated regular transatlantic supersonic flight; the first Apple II microcomputers went on sale to the general public; the movie “Star Wars” debuted on the big screen; and the
International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) convened for the first time in an auditorium in Munich, Germany at the 11th World Congress of Accountants. Beginning with
63 members in 1977, IFAC's membership has grown over the past 30 years to now include
157 members and associates in 123 countries and jurisdictions worldwide. At the first meeting of the IFAC Assembly and Council in October 1977, a
12-point work program was developed to guide IFAC committees and staff through the first five years of activities. Many elements of this work program are still relevant today. As part of its 30th anniversary activities, IFAC published a history of the organization,
IFAC: 30 Years of Progress -Encouraging Quality and Building Trust, which explores the role of member bodies and others in IFAC’s growth and the issues that impacted its development. Further information on organization’s development, including additional historical articles, is available on the IFAC
history page.
