Founded in 1950 by Belgian photographer Dr M Van de Wijer, the Fédération internationale de l’art photographique (FIAP) aims to promote photographic art in all its aspects and through all kinds of photographic events. It conducts its activities worldwide, forging and developing links between over 85 national photographic associations on five continents and affiliating these associations as its ordinary members. In all it represents nearly one million individual photographers. All considerations of a political, ideological or racial nature are absolutely banned from the activities of FIAP. Bienniales are organised every two years in different countries. FIAP holds a large collection of prints and slides submitted by applicants for FIAP distinctions such as Artiste FIAP and Artiste Excellent FIAP, most of which are stored at the Musée de l’Élysée in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 2000 FIAP published a book celebrating its 50 years of activity containing 250 black and white and colour reproductions. At the time of going to press there are 66 Vietnamese artists with FIAP titles.