The International Federation of Pedestrians (IFP) was founded in 1963 as the umbrella organization for national pedestrian advocacy groups. Over the years IFP has organized many international meetings dealing with various aspects of improving the pedestrian’s lot, including conferences in NL-The Hague (1972 and 1979), London (1975), Amsterdam (1975), N-Geilo (1976), Paris (1978), S-Goeteborg (1981), F-Perpignan (1983). After these conferences occasional and informal meetings have taken place.
For some years, IFP published a quarterly newsletter, Pedestrian International, and an occasional series of more technical material under the title of The Voice of the Pedestrian.
From 1963 to 1985 IFP concentrated its efforts on the problems of pedestrians in the industrially advanced countries. Since 1987 it also included pedestrians in developing countries, where the levels of motorization have been rising sharply, accompanied by an alarming increase in the number of traffic deaths and injuries.
IFP co-sponsored ICOTS 91, the International Conference on Traffic Safety, held in January 1991 in New Delhi, India, on the theme “The Vulnerable Road User”. IFP helped to organize the Pedestrians Association of India in early 1991, and is now offering help to found new pedestrian associations all over the world.
In 2005 IFP was relaunched with a new logo and website. It continues to grow a network of pedestrian associations, individuals and other institutions interested in walking.
In 2009 IFP participated in the First Global Meeting of NGOs Advocating for Road Safety and Road Victims and becomes a member of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC).
In 2013 IFP has been an important contributor the publication by WHO of the Pedestrian Safety Manual. IFP published the Mission and Vision statements.
Between 2017 – 2019 IFP was a partner in MORE (Multi-modal Optimisation of Road-space in Europe), a 3 year project that was awarded a EU Grant.
In 2019 IFP Strengthened international impact through supporting EU GSR, contribution to Ministerial Conference in Stockholm, interventions and presentations worldwide.
In 2020 we hired a policy officer that allowed IFP to engage in more structural work with UNECE’s Global Forum for Road Safety (WP1).
In 2023 IFP started two Horizon Europe projects – UPPER (Unleashing the potential of public transport in Europe) and REALLOCATE (Rethinking the dEsign of streets And pubLic spaces to Leverage the mOdal shift to Climate-friendly Active Transport Everywhere).