The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is marking the 80th anniversary of the signing of its convention, which set in motion the development of a global civil aviation system with a collaborative approach to safety standards.

On Dec. 7, 1944, 52 signatories signed a pledge during the Convention on International Civil Aviation to create the body, and the organization was formally established two years later with the ratification of the agreement by 26 member states. Now, ICAO has 193 members.

In commemoration of that landmark event, ICAO held a celebration on Wednesday and Thursday this week at the birthplace of that convention: the Hilton Chicago Hotel, formerly the Stevens Hotel.

With the theme “Safe Skies. Sustainable Future: Together for the next 80 years,” the event was designed not only to reflect on the achievements of the international body but also to look forward to how ICAO could support aviation development in the coming decades.

The celebration included an extraordinary session of its governing body, the Council, followed by a series of interactive high-level roundtable discussions with representatives of States, industry, regional organizations, academia, the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations. Both U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker were among those delivering remarks.

Aviation organizations recognized the milestone, underscoring the importance of ICAO’s role in civil aviation.

“Even as World War II raged on, there was worldwide recognition of the need for a single body to coordinate the evolution of a rapidly developing industry to become a unified, global civil aviation system,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “We congratulate ICAO for 80 years of successfully guiding international cooperation on the development of a safe, secure, and sustainable aviation community.”

“For 80 years, ICAO has fostered worldwide connectivity, safety, innovation, and improved sustainability,” said Kurt Edwards, director of the International Business Aviation Council, which represents the business aviation community at ICAO. “IBAC looks forward to continued collaboration with ICAO for the greater good of the nations and peoples of the world.”