What is an IML Event

The IML has a rich history that started very early in the twentieth century. Read about the formation of the league through more than a hundred years of history here.

Genesis

The genesis of non-competitive walking events is the Nijmegen Vierdaagse held in the Netherlands, which attracts over 46,000 participants every yearto walk 30, 40, or 50Km over four days. It is clearly the oldest and largest event of this nature in the world, with a history dating back to 1909.

The 60’s & 70’s

Due to the success of that event and because more and more foreign walkers were participating in the Nijmegen Vierdaagse, the Dutch organization KNBLO helped to get similar events established in other European countries, starting at the end of the 1960's and the beginning of the 1970's.

Expanding

In that period more events were added such as the International Two days Marches of Flanders (Belgium), the Haervesjmarchen in Denmark, the La Marche de L'Armée in Diekirch (GD Luxembourg), the International Four days marches Castlebar (Ireland) and the Two days Marches of Bern (Switzerland).

Japan

In 1977, the Japan Walking Association established the Japan Three Day March. This was the first multi-day walking event to be held in Japan. This also represented a major breakthrough as it meant that organized non-competitive walking events were no longer exclusive to Europe.

Papendal

In 1986 several Multi-Day Walking Event Organizations with a common interest (all more days walking events, which approved of the idea to organize a multi-day walking event) met each other in Papendal, Arnhem in the Netherlands, in order to discuss the possibility of founding some form of International Walking League.

Let’s form a league

The countries represented were Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, GD Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Switzerland. There was agreement at that meeting to form such a league.

Name and members

In 2006, the name of the International Marching League was changed to IML Walking Association ( better known as the IML). Since then the IML is growing steadily.