A Historic Moment

In Mexico City, on December 11, 1944, 30 young and enthusiastic leaders from eight countries — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and the United States — signed a declaration that led to the establishment of Junior Chamber International (JCI). December 11 was later earmarked as "JCI Day."

How did it all begin?

In 1910, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, a young man named Henry Giessenbier and his friends formed the Herculaneum Dance Club. In 1915, Colonel H.N. Morgan, a prominent St. Louis citizen, inspired the members of the dance club to become more involved in civic issues. Giessenbier and 32 other young men formed the Young Men's Progressive Civic Association (YMPCA) on October 13, 1915.

In 1916, YMPCA became Junior Citizens, which in 1918 was affiliated with the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce and officially became the St. Louis Junior Chamber of Commerce.

After World War I, Giessenbier contacted similar young businessmen's groups in other cities, and, subsequently, 29 clubs from around the nation formed the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce. Henry Giessenbier was elected the first President of the national organization.

Becoming International

The organization began to extend to other countries in 1923, when the Winnipeg Board of Trade became the first Junior Chamber outside the United States. By 1928 the idea of an international body crossed the Atlantic Ocean to England.

In 1940 a resolution was passed by the United States Junior Chamber approving a program to further mutual interests among countries in Central and South America.

In 1943, J. Allyn Taylor of Canada and Vance Graham of the United States took a tour to seven Latin American countries. Travel presented more than a few problems in this war time atmosphere. Much of the material explaining the Junior Chamber movement was translated into Spanish by a Mexican school teacher of El Paso, Texas.

In spite of travel complications and border-crossing problems, the trip was most successful. The Junior Chamber representatives found young business men in Central America quite receptive to the formation of Junior Chamber in their countries.

The Inter-American Conference

J. Allyn Taylor and Vance Graham were able to establish Junior Chambers in Mexico City; Guatemala City; San Salvador; Tegucigalpa (Honduras); Managua (Nicaragua); San Jose (Costa Rica) and Panama. The next step was the all-important Inter American Conference in Mexico City in 1944.

Excitement ran high in 1944, as young men in Mexico, the United States and Canada, came closer to working out the details for the Inter-American Conference. J. Allyn Taylor and Vance Graham's trip had convinced enough young men of the value of Junior Chamber involvement. They all agreed the time was at hand to form the international organization of Junior Chambers of Commerce.

Accordingly, from December 7 until December 11, 1944, the Inter-American Conference was held in Mexico City. On December 11, 1944, the declaration that led to the establishment of Junior Chamber International (JCI) was signed and Raul Garcia Vidal, from Mexico, was elected as the first president of the new international organization.

The First World Congress

In February of 1946, the first World Congress was held in Panama City, Panama. This congress was attended by 44 delegates from 16 different countries. The international organization was formally constituted on the premise that young people working for mutual understanding could prevent another holocaust like World War II from developing in the future. A temporary constitution was approved, and the word "Commerce" was omitted from the official name.

Erasmo Chambonnet of Panama was elected the second JCI President at that Congress, and Australia and Canada were officially affiliated.

December 11, 2003

Recognizing the importance of the creation of JCI as an organization that has developed millions of outstanding world leaders and entrepreneurs over the years, JCI members worldwide are carrying out exciting local and national activities to celebrate the birth of JCI. Staff members at the JCI World Headquarters, joined by 2003 JCI President Bruce Rector and 2004 JCI President Fernando Sánchez-Arias, are also commemorating the occasion in St. Louis.

Tratto da www.jci.cc