A group of scholars, researchers and other interested persons from around the world concerned with small islands first organised an international conference in Victoria BC, Canada, in 1986 to discuss their common interests. This first, 'Islands of the World' (IoW) conference was followed by further meetings in Tasmania, Australia (1988) and in New Providence/Nassau, Bahamas (1992). At the 3rd IoW meeting in the Bahamas, it was decided to form a continuing organisation - the International Small Islands Studies Association - and that this body would hold its first meeting at the 4th 'Islands of the World' conference, in Okinawa, Japan, in June 1994. Subsequent conferences have been held in Mauritius (IoW 5, 1998), Isle of Skye, Scotland (IoW 6, 2000), Prince Edward Island, Canada (IoW 7, 2002), Kinmen, Taiwan (IoW 8, 2004), Maui, Hawai'i, USA (IoW 9, 2006), Jeju, Korea (IoW 10, 2008), Bornholm, Denmark (IoW 11, 2010), Tortola, British Virgin Islands (IoW 12, 2012), Penghu, Taiwan (IoW 13, 2014), Lesvos, Greece (IoW 14, 2016), Kangaroo Island, Australia (IoW 15, 2017), Leeuwarden and Terschelling (IoW 16, 2018); (remotely) in Newfoundland, Canada (IoW 17, 2021); and Zadar, Croatia (IoW 18, 2022).