History

IFBDO was constituted in Luxembourg on December 4th, 1955, in a solemnly assembled session presided over by Roger Guénin (France), its first President, with the presence and representation of delegations from diverse countries.

The initiation of its creation was brought up in Nancy (France), on May 27th, 1955, during the 7th Congress of the French and Overseas Federation of Voluntary Blood Donors, where an International Commission of Blood Donor Organizers was elected.

However, in 1951, at the Lisbon Congress, Dr. Vittorio Formentano (Italy) expressed his thought that the people who constituted the core of knowledge regarding blood transfusion could meet to consider useful matters pertaining to their area of profession. Another precedent related to these ideas was the 3rd Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion, in Turin (Italy), in 1948. The 1st Congress was held in October in 1958 in Brussels (Belgium), where Dr. Vittorio Formentano (Italy) was elected president.

Initially, Roger Guénin assumed the presidency of the International Federation, leaving it to Vittorio Formentano in 1958, at the Congress of Brussels, as he wanted all the countries to be part of what had been created. He continued to occupy the position of founding president and permanent counselor, and was always listened to with great respect.

In October of 1960, the 2nd FIODS Congress was held in Milan and San Marino (Italy). The 3rd Congress was held in Monaco in November of 1962. The 4th Congress was held in Paris (France) in June of 1964.

Twelve years after the creation of FIODS, the first trimester magarine emerged, called “The Universal Blood Donation”, at the beginning of 1967.

The 5th Congress was held in Caracas (Venezuela) January of 1967. In November of 1968 the 6th Congress was held in Madrid (Spain).

Dr. Formentano renounced his presidency on this date (of the Madrid Congress), being substituted for by Louis Pauli (Monaco), who had been General Secretary since 1960 and vice-president since 1967. For health reasons, Louis Pauli withdrew from his voluntary functions in 1970, and Roger Guénin once again resumed the position of the presidency.

The 7th Congress was held in October of 1971 in Monaco, having elected as president Pierre Grange (France). Grange had been responsible for the General Secretary since the Madrid Congress in 1968, substituting Laurent Dalmas and Leonardo Santi that had jointly occupied the position. Unfortunately, Pierre Grange and his wife Denise died in a plane accident (23/12/1973), as they were going to Morocco with the intention to organize the 7th Congress of Marrakech. The whole world greatly lamented what had happened.

The 8th Congress was held in Marrakech (Morocco), in 1974, where President Anne Croesi (Monaco) was elected. Anne had been General Secretary, and was substituted for by Pierre Pelletier.

In 1977, two great losses were suffered when Vittorio Formentano passed away on September 3rd, followed by the loss of Roger Guénin on October 25th. The former was born on October 31st, and had founded the Italian Volunteer Association of Blood Donors A.V.I.S. in 1927, having the honor to personally commemorate the 50th anniversary of its founding. Dr. Vittorio was always a competent hematologist with respect to all the scientific, social, and humanitarian aspects of blood transfusion. Roger Guénin is the best example that can be made of the people who are not doctors, but who have the objective of placating the pain of their fellow human beings, although to take this to the end it is necessary to have a combination of many qualities, among them the energy of a great fighter.

The 9th Congress was held in April of 1978 in Liege (Belgium), and the 10th Congress in Madrid (Spain). From 1981 with Juan Picazo (Spain) as the FIODS president, we come to 1984.

The 11th Congress was held necessarily in Rio de Janeiro, having Leonora Carlota Osório (Brazil) elected president of FIODS.

In 1987 the 12th World Congress was held in Jakarta (Indonesia) and Djilis Tahir of Indonesia was elected president, who passed away a year later. Siti Hardiyanti Indra Rukmana (Indonesia) assumed the presidency until the following Congress of 1990.

In 1990 the 13th World Congress was held in Porto (Portugal). There Siti Hardiyanti Indra Rukmana was elected president. In 1992 the Annual Assembly was held in Yoyarta (Indonesia).

In 1993 the 14th World Congress was placed in Logroño (Spain). Mrs. Rukmana was there reelected president. At the proposal of Spain, the motion to develop some new FIODS statutes was approved by Congress. For this a Commission was formed by President Rukmana, the Secretary General Nicole Petton (France), the former Vice-Secretary Vico Fresia (Italy), Joaquim Moreira (Portugal), Guy Hullebroek (Belgium), and Martin Manceñido (Spain). Three meetings were held in Monaco and one in Brussels during 1993 and 1994. The autumn meeting of 1994 was held in Dakar (Senegal).

In 1995 the new statutes were approved in The Netherlands, with Martin Manceñido as Vice- president. In November of 1995 the autumn meeting was held in Luxembourg to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the creation of FIODS in the city where it began.

In 1996 the 15th World Congress was held in Paris (France). Nicole Petton (France) was elected president, and Dr. Fami (Indonesia) and Martin Manceñido (Spain) were elected Vice-presidents. In 1997 the Executive Committee meeting was held in Patras (Greece) and the General Assembly in Palma de Mallorca (Spain).

In 1998 the General Assembly was placed in Tunis (Tunisia) and the Executive Committee meeting in Monaco. In 1999 the 16th World Congress was held in Mantova (Italy) where all the governing organs of FIODS were renewed, electing Martin Manceñido Fuertes (Spain) as president, and Ezzedine Riahi (Tunis) and Francis Ferrua (France) as Vice- presidents. The meeting of the Executive Committee was held in Patras (Greece).

The 45th Anniversary of the birth of FIODS will be held in São Paulo (Brazil). The renovated FIODS General Assembly plans to enter the 21st century with even greater force in the defense of altruistic blood donation around the world.