Presidents

General powers of the President

The President shall declare the opening and closing of each plenary meeting of the Conference. He shall direct the discussions, ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to speak, put questions to the vote and announce decisions. He shall rule on points of order and, subject to the present Rules, shall control the proceedings and the maintenance of order. The President may, in the course of the discussion of an item, propose to the Conference the limitation of the time to be allowed to speakers, the limitation of the number of times each speaker may speak, the closure of the list of speakers or the closure of the debate. He may also propose the suspension or adjournment of the meeting or the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion.

The President shall not vote, but may designate a member of his delegation to vote in his place.

The President, in the exercise of his functions, remains under the authority of the General Conference.

The President of the General Conference shall sit ex officio in an advisory capacity on the Executive Board.

Acting President

If the President finds it necessary to be absent during a meeting or any part thereof, he shall appoint one of the Vice-Presidents to take his place.

If the President is obliged to be absent for more than two days, the General Conference may, on the motion of the General Committee, elect one of the Vice-Presidents as acting President for the whole period of the President’s absence.

A Vice-President sitting as President or an Acting President, shall have the same powers and responsibilities as the President.

President

Dr George N. Anastassopoulos (Hellenic Republic) was elected President of the 34th session of the General Conference.

Former presidents of the General Conference

33rd session 2005 - Paris Mr Musa Bin Jaafar Bin Hassan (Oman)
32nd session 2003 - Paris Mr Michael Abiola Omolewa (Nigeria)
31st session 2001 - Paris Mr Ahmad Jalali (Islamic Republic of Iran)
30th session 1999 - Paris Ms Jaroslava Moserova (Czech Republic)
29th session 1997 - Paris Mr Eduardo Portella (Brazil)
28th session 1995 - Paris Mr Torben Krogh (Denmark)
27th session 1993 - Paris Mr Ahmed Saleh Sayyad (Yemen)
26th session 1991 - Paris Mr Bethwell Allan Ogot (Kenya)
25th session 1989 - Paris Mr Anwar Ibrahim (Malaysia)
24th session 1987 - Paris Mr Guillermo Putzeys Alvarez (Guatemala)
23rd session 1985 - Sofia Mr Nikolaï Todorov (Bulgaria)
22nd session 1983 - Paris Mr Saïd Tell (Jordan)
4th extraordinary session 1982 - Paris Mr Ivo Margan (Yugoslavia)
21st session 1980 - Belgrade Mr Ivo Margan (Yugoslavia)
20th session 1978 - Paris Mr Napoléon LeBlanc (Canada)
19th session 1976 - Nairobi Mr Taaita Toweett (Kenya)
18th session 1974 - Paris Ms Magda Joboru (Hungary)
3rd extraordinary session 1973 - Paris Mr Toru Haguiwara (Japan)
17th session 1972 - Paris Mr Toru Haguiwara (Japan)
16th session 1970 - Paris Dr AtilioDell'Oro Maini (Argentina)
15th session 1968 - Paris Mr Willian Eteki-Mboumoua (Cameroon)
14th session 1966 - Paris Professor Bedrettin Tuncel (Turkey)
13th session 1964 - Paris Professor Norair M. Sissakian (Soviet Union)
12th session 1962 - Paris Professor Paulo E. de Berrêdo Carneiro (Brazil)
11th session 1960 - Paris Mr Akale-Work Abte-Wold (Ethiopia)
10th session 1958 - Paris Mr Jean Berthoin (France)
9th session 1956 - New Delhi Mr Maulana Abul Kalam Azak (India)
8th session 1954 -Montevideo Mr Justino Zavala Muñiz (Uruguay)
2nd extraordinary session 1953 - Paris Mr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (India)
7th session 1952 - Paris Mr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (India)
6th session 1951 - Paris Mr Howland Sargeant (United States of America)
5th session 1950 - Florence Count Stefano Jacini (Italy)
4th session 1949 - Paris Mr E. Ronald Walker (Australia)
1st extraordinary session 1948 - Paris Mr Francisco del Río y Canedo (Mexico)
3rd session 1948 - Beirut Mr Hamid Bey Frangie (Lebanon)
2nd session 1947 - Mexico City Mr Manuel Gual Vidal (Mexico)
1st session 1946 - Paris Mr Léon Blum (France)