In 1993, the World Bank Group Executive Directors established a Bank Group-wide committee to organize work related to the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Bretton Woods Conference. Chaired by Armeane M. Choksi, vice president of Human Resources Development and Operations Policy, the Committee on the 50th Anniversary defined the Bank's anniversary-related activities and objectives for 1994. To fulfill some of these objectives, the committee created a 50th Anniversary Secretariat, based in the Human Resources Development and Operations Policy office (HROAN). K. Sarwar Lateef of the International Economics Relations Division (OPRIE) was appointed as the secretariat's staff director.

The World Bank Group's activities to commemorate its 50th anniversary took place as the Bank was facing intense public criticism from a coalition of environmentalists, human rights advocates, and some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The Bank treated the anniversary as an occasion to reflect on the institution's history, refocus on its identity and future, and engage with key internal and external constituencies.

The 50th Anniversary Secretariat worked on establishing a clear corporate identity for the Bank, including a statement of purpose and vision statement. It organized the Bretton Woods 50th Anniversary Conference in September 1994, which included sessions on both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The secretariat also engaged with external groups such as the Bretton Woods Commission and various NGOs. The secretariat concluded its work in December 1994.