After World War 2 left Europe in ruins, with 55 million deaths and hatred between nations, students from 8 countries met in Paris in 1946 to begin organizing an exchange program. They formally established AIESEC at a meeting in Stockholm in 1948 with the goal of promoting tolerance through international exchanges. Starting with 7 countries and 250 members, AIESEC grew steadily over the following decades, spreading to all continents and facilitating thousands of internships annually by the 1960s. It continued expanding its global reach and member programs over subsequent decades, reaching 90 countries and over 20,000 members by 2005.

1. The year is 1945 …

2. Europe is lying in a state of ruin
after the Second World War

3. War has taken away 55 million
lives, injured 35 million, …
… and 3 million more have disappeared.

4. Only poverty and quarreling
between nations remains.

5. But perhaps worse than
the physical damage is the
hatred and bitterness that
the war has produced.

6. Europe 1946

7. Europe 1946

8. This was when
AIESEC began ...

9. • Jan Maatsa is organizing a meeting in a Café in
Paris - 9 students show up.
• They are from 8 different countries.
September 1946

10. Stockholm 1948
A meeting took place in the Grand
Hotel in Stockholm.
It was March of 1948.

11. The Goal
Through building up a student
exchange program we want to
contribute to tolerance between people.

12. People came from …
… Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland,
France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

13. They all sat around a table, half of them
speaking English, and the other half
speaking French.
But they all understood each other.

14. Though at the beginning none of
them knew what practical result would
come from the meeting, …

15. … their meeting gave birth to AIESEC.
Stockholm 1948

16. AIESEC 1948
7 Countries
250 members
89 exChanges

17. “AIESEC is an independent,
non-political and international
organization …”
Stockholm 1948
They decided on the purpose of the
Association ...

18. “… which has as its purpose to
establish and promote the
friendly relations between the
members.”
Stockholm 1948

19. The organization expanded for the first
time with the admission of West
Germany as a member.
1952

20. Austria, Great Britain, Italy, Spain,
Switzerland and Yugoslavia join.
1953

21. AIESEC welcomed Turkey as
a member, taking AIESEC
outside the confines of
Western Europe.
1954

22. With the International Congress in
Rotterdam in 1955, the number of
traineeships broke through the
thousand mark, with 1.114
traineeships a year.
1955

23. AIESEC became inter-continental with
the entry of the United States in 1957.
The organization had made the leap
across the Atlantic.
1957

24. By the following year, AIESEC had
spread to Latin America, with Venezuela
and Colombia joining the Association.
1958

25. The African continent became
represented with South African
membership in the same year.
1958

26. Meanwhile, the number of traineeships
continued to grow steadily. In 1960,
AIESEC achieved 2.973 trainee
exchanges.
1960

27. 1960

28. In 1963, AIESEC arrives in Asia with
membership of Japan and Korea.
1963

29. In 1965 AIESEC enters Eastern Europe and …
… the CSSR becomes a member.
1965

30. By the same year AIESEC is
represented on all continents, with
Australia joining.
1965

31. By the end of the decade, AIESEC’s
exchange program reached its highest
level yet - 4.742 trainees
were exchanged.
1969

32. 1969

33. 1982 The 1980’s started with an emphasis on
regional development with the African
region officially established.

34. 1982
The purpose statement was changed:
“AIESEC’s purpose is to develop
students and recent graduates and
to facilitate the development of our
environment on the local, national
and international levels.”

35. 1986
The purpose statement got an addition:
“AIESEC does not discriminate on
the
basis of race, colour, creed, religion,
national or ethnic origin.”

36. 1988

37. In 1989 we realized the highest
number of traineeships ever with
7.029 trainees exchanged around the
world.
1989

38. Externally in 1989, an event that many
thought would never happen in their
lifetime occurred. The Berlin Wall came
crashing down. The “Iron Curtain”, that
had separated a continent for nearly half
a century, crumbles.
1989

39. This continues in the 90’s with the
release of Nelson Mandela from prison
in South Africa. In 1991 the country
holds its first democratic elections.
1990-91

40. … elects a black student for National
Committee President
AIESEC in South Africa …

41. 2003
Expansion to Afghanistan

42. 2005• 90 countries
• 20.000 members
• more than 3.500 exchanges
During International Congress 2005, our core
work was refreshed:
AIESEC provides its members with an integrated
development experience comprised of leadership
opportunities, international internships and
participation in a global learning environment.