 In 1931 Alice Sickels became the Institute's first executive director and a year later the IIMN hosted its first Festival of Nations.In 1938, the Institute became an independent agency and between that year and 1979, it have resettled more than 24,000 refugees from around the world.During the 2019 Festival of Nations the IIMN had presented a demonstration stage, a showcase of dance and music from around the world.