JCI Facts

Name
JCI (Junior Chamber International), Inc. [Download JCI Introductory Video] is a worldwide federation of young professionals and entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 40.

Membership
National Organizations federated to JCI are active in more than 6,000 chapters located in more than 100 nations and territories.

Mission
To contribute to the advancement of the global community by providing the opportunity for young people to develop the leadership skills, social responsibility, fellowship, and entrepreneurship necessary to create positive change.

History
JCI was founded in Mexico City on December 11, 1944, when representatives from eight nations met to create an organization that would address global concerns. From these eight nations, JCI has grown spanning every continent to include more than 100 nations.

2006 JCI President
Lars Hajslund from Dronninglund, Denmark.

Headquarters
The JCI Headquarters was established in 1951 and was located in Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A., since 1969. In 2002, the JCI Headquarters was relocated to Chesterfield, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., where the first local organization was founded in 1918. A professional staff of 20 full-time employees provides services to JCI members.

International Events
The 60th JCI World Congress will be held in Vienna, Austria, on October 24-29, 2005. The winners of the Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) program are announced each year at the JCI World Congress. The program honors up to ten young individuals who best exemplify the finest attributes of the world's young people. JCI also hosts four regional conferences each year to conduct its business and training as well as address items of concern and global issues. During 2005, these conferences will be held in Cotonou, Benin; Macau, China; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Poitiers, France.

International Cooperation
JCI is an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with active participation in the United Nations (UN) system. In this context, JCI has relations with the Office of the UN Secretary General (Secretariat) and a Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Furthermore, JCI has cooperation agreements with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Association of Students in Economics and Management (AIESEC), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGO), NGO Committee on UNICEF (Committee), the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). JCI is also registered by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) as a civil society organization entitled to participate in OAS activities.

JCI Hong Kong [Download JCI HK Introductory PPT] is an affiliate of Junior Chamber International (JCI) and East Kowloon Junior Chamber (EKJC) is in turn an affiliate of JCI HK.