Ninety-nine YMCA leaders of individual YMCAs from Europe and North America met for the first time prior to the 1855 Paris World Exposition to discuss the possibility of joining together in a federation to enhance co-operation amongst individual YMCA societies. This meeting resulted in the first World Conference of YMCA from 19 to 24 August 1855, and the creation of the Paris Basis which is still a guiding principle of the organization today.