The 1818 Society was formed in 1978 as the organization of World Bank Group alumni. The Society has traditionally had two main purposes: facilitating contacts among former staff and acting as a liaison with the Bank Group on matters of concern to alumni, such as pensions and health insurance. The Society organizes seminars annually on subjects such as taxes and estate planning. The Society also has an ongoing knowledge and networking program with 11 Thematic Groups that organize seminars and joint activities on topics of interest to alumni and the World Bank Group.