World Civil Defence Day

In 1931, several nations encouraged the French Surgeon-General George Saint-Paul to found the Association of "Geneva Zones". Its aim was to establish local security areas anywhere in the world through international agreements. The Association grew to become the International Civil Defence Organisation, ICDO). In 1972, ICDO received the status of an intergovernmental organisation. Currently, ICDO includes 50 country members and another 16 have the status of observers. Proclaimed in 1990, World Civil Defence Day serves to raise awareness of civil defence and national emergency services. The 1^st of March is the date when the ICDO Charter came into effect following the approval of 18 states.