The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) marks the 2009 International Civil Aviation Day on December 7, 2009 with the theme “65 Years of Empowering the Global Community Through Aviation,” to celebrate its creation in 1944.

ICAO's vision has been for international aviation to promote friendship and understanding among peoples of the world, as well as peace and prosperity based on a global air transport system that would be operated soundly and economically, with equality of opportunity for all.

It gradually became reality through ICAO securing global cooperation and consensus among its 190 member states to build and maintain a robust regulatory framework, thereby bringing the enormous economic, social and cultural benefits of air transport to entire populations all over the world.

In keeping with the rapid evolution of air transport through the years, member states agreed on some 10,000 technical and operational standards, on hundreds of agreements dealing with often complex political and economic issues, and on assistance programs to help apply the rules and regulations’ concrete actions and tangible global results under the auspices of ICAO.

At the same time, states ensured that aviation would develop in an environmentally sustainable manner, by agreeing on stringent engine emissions standards, effective operational measures and comprehensive environmental policies through the ICAO process.

Today, the millions of passenger and cargo flights that criss-cross our skies have become the lifeline of economies on all continents.