L. R. KOLBANTSEV (TSNIGR Museum, VSEGEI)

Soviet geologists at the 20th International Geological Congress (Mexico City, 1956)

The 20th International Geological Congress in Mexico in 1956 is the first major international meeting for Soviet geologists after World War II and the first travel abroad of a large delegation of Soviet geologists. The Soviet delegation of 58 people participated in the work of the Congress and excursions with 37 oral presentations and 142 abstracts published in the Congress Proceedings. Active participation in the work of the Congress Council made it possible to make a number of important decisions, including the preparation of Tectonic and Metallogenic maps of the world. Soviet scientists were included in the majority of the commissions of the Congress. Participation in the Mexican session of the IGC was the beginning of the successful integration of Soviet geologists into the world geological community and was a catalyst for further development of geoscience.
Keywords: International Geological Congress, 20th IGC, Mexico City, geologists.