The 2nd Icograda Congress, Bled, 1966

The International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda) convened its second congress from 11 to 16 July 1966 in Bled, Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia). Its theme was ‘Graphic Design and Visual Communications Technology’. The General Assembly, chaired by William M. de Majo, was also in session. A seminar for students, this year entitled ‘Breaking the Language Barrier with Signs and Symbols’, was also held for the first time. The congress was attended by 376 participants, with delegates, observers, students, and guests from twenty-three countries. The keynote speech was by Richard Buckminster Fuller, with additional speakers including Pieter Brattinga, Josef Müller-Brockmann, Masaru Katsumi, Edvard Ravnikar, Vjenceslav Richter, and Nathan Shapira. The Slovenian Designers’ Association played an active role in the organisation of the congress and collaborated with Icograda to curate the accompanying exhibition, entitled ‘The Graphic Image of Commerce and Industry’. The decision to hold the 2nd Icograda Congress in Bled was a clear sign of international recognition for the achievements of the Slovenian design profession.