PROGRESS IN PROTOZOOLOGY

300 L. KUZNICKI AND B. M. HONIGBERG
Starting with the London Congress, the International Commission
became the most important international organization of Protozoologsts.
The Commission selects the places and approves the programs of the
Congresses and the slate of invited guests.
During the Third International Congress of Protozoology in Leningrad
(1969), the International Commission formalized its relationship vith
IUBS and established the rules governing the constitution of its membership.
According to these rules, national or supranational societies or
sections consisting of fewer than 100 members have one representative
each; two representatives are allowed such units that have 100-300
members; and units with more than 300 members have three representatives.
During the periods between Congresses, the International Commission
promotes the development of protozoology and facilitates personal
contacts among all protozoologists.
During the 1970's the International Commission undertook a series
of steps aimed at improving the research methods and increasing the
quantity and improving the quality of publications. The Commission
resolved to meet once every two years. The meetings between Congresses
are to be used for discussion and ultimate choice of the scientific
subjects to be discussed at the next Congress; the members are also
expected to concern themselves with certain organizational details of
such Congresses. Starting with the Fourth International Congress of
Protozoology, 1973, in Clermont-Ferrand, beyond publishing summaries
of contributed papers, the organizers have been asked to publish volumes
containing the various special lectures and summaries of the deliberations
of round-table discussions and of symposia.
At the Fifth International Congress in New York (1977), farther
organizational changes in the Commission were introduced. In an attempt
to improve international coordination during the periods between Congresses,
it was resolved that the functions of the coordinator would be
fulfilled during the succeeding four years by the Secretary-General of
the previous Congress. His primary tasks would include distribution of
information about national protozoological meetings and symposia, and
about new publications.
The general program format of the Fifth International Congress in
New York was adopted by the Commission meeting in Warsaw in 1979,
although with some important modifications, for the Sixth International
Congress. The most important modification was the change of workshops
to real Symposia, and a clear separation of the latter from contributed
paper sessions. In addition, a major round-table discussion on "Phylogenetic
Relationships Among Protozoa" was scheduled for the entire
morning of the last day of the meetings. The foremost experts in the
field participated in the discussion, which is printed in this volume.
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