At the London conference in 1946, Geneva was elected by a majority of one vote as headquarters of ISO

"The essence of ISO's history is made up of the visions, aspirations, doubts, successes and failures of the people who, over the past fifty years, have created this rather remarkable organization."

From the foreword to Friendship Among Equals
by Lawrence D. Eicher,
former ISO Secretary-General
(from 1986 until end of March 2002 when he passed away)

As ISO grew, the Central Secretariat moved in 1956 from its first office to the International Centre in rue de Varembй

The book Friendship Among Equals is intended to be "only a start" in the gathering of personal recollections of ISO's history from those who have been deeply involved in shaping it during the first fifty years.