HISTORY
In November of 1968, Michel Bongrand of France and Joseph Napolitan of the United States invited a handful of veteran political campaign managers from fifteen countries to meet in Paris to exchange information and opinions about the emerging profession of political consulting. At the end of the two-day meeting, they decided to formalize their professional interests by organizing the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC). The organization they founded has endured and prospered for over four decades.
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Today, some 180 men and women representing a broad spectrum of professional political activities are active members. The great majority of them have played significant roles in electing the heads of state in the world’s democracies. To learn more, please visit our Wikipedia page.
MISSION
First and foremost the IAPC is committed to fostering democracy and the democratic process throughout the world.
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Since 1982, the IAPC has presented its Democracy Award to an individual or organization who has worked courageously to foster, promote and sustain the democratic process anywhere in the world.
Past recipients of this prestigious award include Lech Walesa, Nelson Mandela and, more recently, Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine.
Secondly, the organization has remained true to its original mission of fostering the growing and diverse profession of political consulting as well as the practical aspects of democratic elections.
The IAPC accomplishes this by bringing together members at its annual meeting to exchange views and information about political developments and campaign techniques.
Organizationally, this conference which is held each November in a different city is the most important activity of the IAPC.