The International General Council (IGC) is the senior international authority of the Society. Since its foundation in 1833, it has been located in Paris (France). Its officers are all volunteers, supported by a team of paid staff. The General Council is the link between member countries of the International Confederation of the SSVP. Its mission is to support the work of Conferences around the wor
ld. It encourages the transfer of skills and know-how, training of officers and supports twinnage arrangements to build links of solidarity and financial help from rich countries to poor countries. It also organises international meetings, gatherings of member countries and regional delegates, and ensures that meetings run properly. Through CIAD (International Commission for Aid and Development), it provides emergency help in situations of humanitarian crisis and funds recovery programmes (after a natural disaster for instance), as well as development work. It is also responsible for monitoring the use of funds allocated to these projects around the world. Council General, as the highest administrative body of the SSVP, is responsible for gathering, analysing and compiling data from each country or zone where the Society works, to produce reports that give an accurate picture of the development of the Society’s activities, and to optimise the direction of its global strategy. Finally, it is the custodian of the International Rule that governs the Society. It is responsible for aggregation of new Conferences that are created each year all over the world.
