Fonds RAS ICO - International Congress of Orientalists

The International Congress of Orientalists, initiated in Paris in 1873, was an international conference of Orientalists. The first thirteen meetings were held in Europe; the fourteenth congress was held in Algiers in 1905 and some of the subsequent conferences were also held outside Europe. The Proceedings of the Congresses were usually published. The International Congress of Orientalists was renamed as the International Congress of Human Sciences in Asia and North Africa in 1973 and subsequently as the International Congress of Asian and North African Studies. it continues to be active.

The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke on the 15th March 1823. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV on the 11th August 1824 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. It continues as a forum for those who are interested in the languages, cultures and history of Asia to meet and exchange ideas.