ILO @ 100: A Year Of Celebration

n 2019, the ILO will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The Centenary will be an opportunity to celebrate the ILO’s achievements and reaffirm its position as the authoritative global organization for the world of work. As one of the oldest specialized UN agencies, the International Labour Organization is preparing for a year of celebrations to mark its 100th anniversary. 

Throughout the Centenary year, multiple commemorative events will take place around the globe to highlight the achievements of the organization and the role it plays in everyone’s lives. 

It will also be an opportunity to reaffirm the ILO’s core values and vision as it prepares for its second century of work. 

The first major highlight of 2019 will be the launch of the report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work  on 22 January. The report is the culmination of a process that began in 2016 with a series of national dialogues in ILO member States on the Future of Work . The Global Commission was set up with the aim of examining the output from the dialogues as part of an in-depth examination of how to achieve a future of work that provides decent and sustainable work opportunities for all. 

The Centenary International Labour Conference which runs from 10 to 21 June in Geneva will discuss the report, and is also expected to adopt new landmark standards to fight violence and harassment in the world of work. 

On 11 April, 2019, a live 24-hour “Global Tour” of national events in 24 countries will celebrate the work of the ILO on four continents from Suva to Lima. The date of the ILO100 Global Tour coincides with the anniversary of the plenary session of the Paris Peace Conference on 11 April 1919, which accepted the draft ILO Constitution . The latter became part of the Treaty of Versailles which was signed on 28 June 1919 to end World War I. 

From 26-28 June, a special event in Paris will celebrate the contribution of the ILO on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the signature of the Treaty of Versailles. A Social Protection Week is planned at ILO headquarters in Geneva from 24-29 November featuring “100 years of social security: the road to universal protection”.