About JCI

Be Better
JCI members constantly seek ways to live JCI’s slogan: Be Better. They not only believe that improvement is possible, they believe it is their responsibility to initiate positive change both in themselves and in their local community. All members around the world share this sense of social responsibility and the initiative to take action to create a better future for all.

 

JCI Around the World
With over 5,000 Local Organizations in more than 100 countries and territories, JCI forms a vibrant international community of nearly 200,000 active citizens. All members belong to a JCI Local Organization where they focus on finding solutions to improve their local community. Local Organizations are affiliated to National Organizations where members coordinate activities on national and international scales. This structure links JCI members together to form a global grassroots movement creating global impact through local action.

International Events
Each year, members from all over the globe come together at the JCI World Congress. At this event, JCI’s critical mass of young people unite to share experiences, understand the interconnectedness of our world and facilitate international cooperation. This global forum enables members to find new ways to take action in their local communities and make globalization a positive force.

JCI also hosts four regional conferences each year: Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, the Americas and Europe. At these conferences, JCI conducts its affairs, hosts training, and gives members the opportunity to address global issues and show their commitment to becoming socially responsible leaders.

JCI History
Almost a century ago, Henry Giessenbier, Jr. decided to take responsibility for the progress and welfare of his community by helping tackle difficult problems around him. Together with 32 other young men, Giessenbier established the Young Men’s Progressive Civic Association, JCI’s first Local Organization, in St. Louis, USA in 1915. The members of the first Local Organization dedicated themselves to bringing about community improvements and giving young people a constructive approach to civic problems.

 

By 1944, the movement had spread through eight countries. When delegates from these countries met in Mexico City at the Inter-American Conference that year, they agreed it was time to officially form Junior Chamber International. This deep-rooted tradition of bringing together active citizens from diverse backgrounds remains alive today in our international events. They fuel the JCI movement and set the groundwork to create positive change that transcends boundaries.

2010 JCI President: Roland Kwemain from JCI Cameroon. More…

JCI World Headquarters
The JCI World Headquarters is located in Chesterfield, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., where the first local organization was founded. A professional staff of full-time employees provides services to JCI members. 

International Cooperation
JCI is an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with active participation in the United Nations (UN) system. In this context, JCI has relations with the Office of the UN Secretary General (Secretariat) and a Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

 

JCI has cooperation agreements with the UN Global Compact; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); the Pan American Health Organization; the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGO); the NGO Committee on UNICEF; the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and World Chambers Federation; the Council of Europe; AIESEC International; and Goal4Africa.

JCI Curepipe

By way of introduction, the Junior Chamber International Curepipe (formerly known as Jeune Chambre Economique de Curepipe) is a worldwide federation of young professionals and entrepreneurs. JCI is present in more than 100 nations and territories and regroups more than 250,000 active members. The organization operates on the premise that the development of individual character and personality will result in communities that are better developed and, eventually, in a more peaceful world. In Mauritius, JCI Curepipe has been present and active in various community development projects since 1984.

Why JCI?

Global network – JCI has a strong global network of nearly 200,000 members in over a 100 different countries. 5,000 Local Organizations are united in a global movement, and their local actions echo around the globe.
Young Active Citizens – a means through which members can work together towards societies’ shared goals. Active Citizenship is the spirit that links all JCI members: a sense of social responsibility and the initiative to take action and work together to create a better future for all.

Sustainable positive change – by creating targeted, sustainable solutions to community problems, JCI creates positive change that will continue to have a positive impact for years to come.

Solid principles – JCI members demonstrate their principles in everything they do. Their sense of responsibility to humanity, optimism for the future and ownership of their world form a code of conduct they live by.