The International Association of Obituarists is an organization of professional obituary writers and journalists of all genres, academicians, genealogists, historians and aficionados of the obituary. Believed to be the only organization of its kind in the world, the IAO grew out of a series of conferences for obituary writers and was established in 2000. We are an international network of journalists and related professionals dedicated to the study and appreciation of the art of the obituary in diverse cultures. We are committed to improving not only the publics understanding of the importance and value of the obituary but also the industry’s recognition of the obituary as literary form. We seek to put distinguished obituary writing on the pedestal where it belongs.