National Standards Holiday

[--CELKO--]

What is World Standards Day?

World Standards Day began as a celebration of the birth of the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which held its
first meeting in London on October 14, 1946. From an initial roster of
25 countries, ISO (based in Geneva, Switzerland) now has 123 member
nations and has evolved into the global clearinghouse for all
standards activities. ISO's U.S. representative, the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI), is one of the founding organizations of
World Standards Day. Today, World Standards Day is sponsored annually
by ISO; the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which
develops international standards for the electrical and electronics
industries; and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an
international organization responsible for the coordination,
development, regulation, and standardization of telecommunications
standards.

The goal of World Standards Day is to raise awareness of the
importance of global standardization to the world economy and to
promote its role in helping meet the needs of business, industry,
government, and consumers worldwide. The international event pays
tribute to the thousands of volunteers around the world who
participate in standardization activities. Since its initial
celebration in 1970, member countries commemorate World Standards Day
by organizing special gatherings and events, ranging from conferences,
exhibitions, and seminars to film shows, TV and radio interviews, and
full "standards weeks" around mid October