WORLD FUTURES STUDIES FEDERATION
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL PEAK BODY FOR FUTURES STUDIES SCHOLARSHIP A UNESCO PARTNER – FOUNDED PARIS 1973
Although thinking about “the future” has always been a part of human culture it has only been in the last fifty years that the academic field of Futures Studies has emerged. WFSF uses the plural term “futures” studies rather than the singular “future” studies to counter the idea that there is only one future and to open up diverse quantum possibilities. It is commonly thought that futures studies is about predicting the future but this is only one of several approaches…
The WFSF is a non-profit global NGO governed by a President and Executive Board. We are independent, non-commercial in focus and geared towards strengthening the scholarship of futures research.
WFSF Chapters are in development with the Ibero-American Chapter the first to be founded.
WFSF Youth Council is a new initiative created to engage our student members and other young members in taking a more active role in designing the futures they want for the world.
WFSF Awards are granted from time to time to individuals and institutions at the forefront of futures.
The President is elected for a four-year term and oversees the organization. The Director is appointed by the Executive Board and manages the Secretariat. Nine Executive Board members are elected for a four-year term.
In addition to the Executive Board, there are numerous other WFSF members who give generously of their time and energy to assist with the smooth running of the Federation.
WFSF has been a Special Consultative Partner with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1987. ECOSOC is the UN Platform on social and economic issues. Please review the UN chart below to see where ECOSOC is placed within the UN family. It is at the same level as the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council.
UNESCO is actually one of the Specialised Bodies under the umbrella of the UN ECOSOC (like WHO, IMF, UNIDO and others).
Our Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC means we may participate in high-level UN Events at the UN Headquarters in New York, Geneva and/or Vienna. WFSF Executive Board Member Dr. Dana Klisanin is the WFSF President’s Envoy to the UN Meetings in New York.
Follow the link to learn more about ECOSOC
The World Futures Studies Federation emerged from the ideas and pioneering work of Igor Bestuzhev-Lada (Russia), Bertrand de Jouvenel (France, 1903-1987), Johan Galtung (Norway), Robert Jungk (Austria 1913-1994), John McHale (UK/USA, 1922-1978) and others who in the 1960s conceived of the concept of futures studies at the global level. A World Conference, held in Bucharest, Romania, September 1972, seeded the idea of founding the WFSF. The founding conference that created the Federation was held in Paris, France, 26 May 1973.