General Assembly ? IARU Region 2
Press Release # 1
The XVIII General Assembly of IARU Region 2 started on Monday,
September 23, in Cancun, Mexico.

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is the world federation
of national amateur radio organizations. It is formed by more than 160
member societies from different countries and independent territories.

IARU was founded in a meeting in Paris in 1925as the international
representative of radio amateurs. In those times, ?short waves? were
barely understood and their commercial use was starting; this
threatened the activities that radio amateurs had been carrying out
for many years. Radio amateurs needed an organization to coordinate
their activities and to have a voice at international conferences.
IARU is recognized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
as the representative of the interests of its member societies and of
radio amateurs throughout the world. IARU is a Member of the
Radiocommunications (ITU-R) and Development (ITU-D) Sectors of ITU and
participates in the Study Commissions of both sectors.

IARU Constitution has been reviewed many times. The present
Constitution was approved in 1984 and it was modified slightly in
1989. It recognizes three regional organizations that represent the
three radio regions defined by ITU for frequency allocation purposes.
Each regional organization is autonomous and operates according to its
own Constitution.

IARU Region 2 was founded in Mexico City in 1964 almost 50 years ago.
It integrates the national radio amateur societies of the American
continent. It participates in the Inter-American Communications
Commission (CITEL) and in sub-regional organizations such as the
Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU).

IARU Region 2 is managed by an Executive Committee formed by 9
members: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Area
Directors elected every three years in a General Assembly, such as the
one currently under way in Cancun.

This General Assembly analyzes and studies the different proposals of
issues of interest to amateur radio, band plans and adequate use of
the spectrum, promotion of our hobby as well as other administrative
issues, since the radio amateur societies of every country inform
about their respective progress. In parallel, and for the first time,
an Emergency Communications Workshop is being held, with numerous
attendees.

Participating in the General Assembly in Cancun are representatives of
our member societies, as well as representatives of other IARU regions.

For more information:
info@iaru-r2.org
www.cancun2013.info
www.iaru-r2.org
www.iaru.org