For many years after the 1991 conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions in Moscow, longtime IFLA-goers who witnessed the coup d’etat that broke out there in the middle of the meeting would greet one another with memories of that historic event. The coup marked the beginning of the end for communism in the Soviet Union. Many had not only witnessed the coup but had been caught up in it, helping Russian librarians distribute information, knocking down statues of Lenin, and talking with soldiers atop the tanks surrounding the Russian parliament.
While most IFLA conferences could not deliver anything as spectacular as a coup d’etat, there are dramatic moments to remember from many—visits from royalty, political intrigue, and splendid cultural venues. Can you name the location and the events depicted in these photos?
IFLA 2010 meets in Gothenburg, Sweden, August 10-15. Follow the hashtag #IFLA2010.
