51st IFIA Executive Committee Meeting – 08 September 2025

The 51st Executive Committee Meeting of the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA) was held on 08 September 2025 with the presence of the esteemed Executive Committee members under the chairmanship of Alireza Rastegar, President of IFIA. The agenda of the meeting was presented and discussed in detail with the participants.

Opening Remarks

1- New Membership Application – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2- Strategic Event Proposal – Saudi Arabia International Invention Festival 2026

3- New Membership Application – Lebanese School in Kinshasa

4- Proposal for Strategic Collaboration with China Health Charity Foundation (CHCF)

5- IFIA General Assembly Meeting – October 17, 2025

Closing Remarks

At the opening of the session, the President of IFIA warmly welcomed the Executive Committee members and highlighted the importance of international cooperation and IFIA’s pivotal role in strengthening the global position of innovation. He emphasized IFIA’s core mission in supporting inventors worldwide and promoting a culture of innovation, noting that all items of the agenda were explained in detail to the members.

The President underlined that each agenda item plays a vital role in reinforcing IFIA’s future activities and expanding its global network. In particular, he placed special emphasis on the importance of organizing the Saudi Arabia International Invention Festival 2026, recognizing it as a milestone event for both IFIA and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its strategic global position, is paying strong attention to the ambitious Vision 2030 program, which aims to diversify the economy, foster innovation, and expand future development prospects. This vision creates a powerful foundation for cooperation with IFIA in advancing science, technology, and innovation on a global scale.

The President also praised the wise leadership and remarkable achievements of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saudin the development and growth of Saudi Arabia in recent years. He underlined that these achievements have paved the way for successfully hosting this international festival in Jeddah, where inventors from across the world will come together. The event will not only boost regional scientific and technological excellence but also foster international collaboration among inventors for the betterment of humanity.

1. New Membership Application – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The official request for membership from Saudi Arabia was presented. The Saudi representatives have so far introduced the company Bothat as the local partner for cooperation. However, it was noted that before signing the final event contract, the Saudi side may provide the IFIA Secretariat with the name of another company as the final partner.
✅ This agenda item was unanimously approved by all participating members.

The proposal to organize the Saudi Arabia International Invention Festival (SAIIF) in Jeddah from 11–15 April 2026was discussed.

The event will be held under the patronage of IFIA and as a branch of the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF).

The full budget of the event will be covered by the Saudi partner, and booths and registration for all IFIA members will be provided free of charge.

Preparations will be jointly managed by a team appointed by the IFIA President and a team from Saudi Arabia. The jury panel and keynote speakers will be selected by the IFIA President and the Secretariat. International inventors’ participation will be coordinated by IFIA, while the Saudi inventors’ delegation will be coordinated by the local Saudi partner.

Furthermore, domestic supporters and national companies will be mobilized by the Saudi partner, while international supporters and partners will be coordinated by IFIA. A joint organizing committee between IFIA and the Saudi partner will also be established to oversee all administrative and organizational tasks leading up to the event.

The festival is scheduled for April 2026 in Jeddah, and the exact venue and final dates will be communicated to all IFIA members in due course.

A five-year cooperation agreement between IFIA and the Saudi partner will be drafted by the IFIA Secretariat and, after approval, will be sent to the Saudi side for review and signature.

✅ This agenda item was unanimously approved by all participating members.

Presented by Mr. Maher Osman, IFIA-Certified Inventor. The request for affiliation of the Lebanese School in Kinshasa as a corresponding member institution was submitted, including an overview of their past participation and contributions.
✅ This agenda item was unanimously approved by all participating members.

The CHCF, a newly accredited ECOSOC Consultative Status holder, was introduced. An overview of its mission, global offices, and outreach in health and development was presented, followed by a proposal to explore formal collaboration channels with IFIA.
✅ This agenda item was unanimously approved by all participating members.

The IFIA General Assembly meeting is scheduled to take place on October 17th, 2025, from 16:00 to 18:00, followed by a dinner reception.

Details:

IFIA GA Meeting Date & Time: October 17, 2025 | 16:00–18:00

Venue: Hotel Intonational, Zagreb, Croatia
Address: Miramarska Cesta 24, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Dinner reception: Hotel Intonational , Zagreb, Croatia October 17, 2025 | 18:30

What Covered by IFIA and Croatian Union of Innovators:

Hotel bookings: will be arranged by Croatian Union of Innovators the local organizing team at Intonational Hotel for 3 nights (October 15–18)

ARCA 2025: Exhibition Booths will be arranged by Croatian Union of Innovators the local organizing team, Each IFIA member will be offered a 6m² booth, free of charge and with no registration fee, for presenting up to 3 inventions

Event Venue: National and University Library, Zagreb, Croatia
Event Date: 16 to 18 October 2025

Dinner reception: Hotel Intonational , Zagreb, Croatia October 17, 2025 | 18:30

Airport pickup: Service for invitees.

Voting Result.
Accepted

IFIA Exco Members:

1. Mr. Avdo Halilovic / Bosnia and Herzegovina
2. Dr. Marcelo Vivacqua / Brazil
3. Ms. Guo Yan / China
4. Mr.  Leo Pincan/ Croatia
5. Mr. Lukas Zmeskal / Czech Republic
6. Dr. Mahmoud Hafez / Egypt
7. Mr. Winfried Sturm / Germany
8. Mrs. Elinora Inga Sigurdardottir / Iceland
9. Mr. Hossein Vaezi Ashtiani / Iran
10. Mrs. Traiza Jasim Ridha / Iraq
11. Ms. Megaria Augstina / Indonesia
12. Dr. Yahya Abdal / Kuwait
13. Mr. Radwan Chouaib / Lebanon
14. Prof. Augustine S. H. Ong / Malaysia
15. Prof. Kareem Tahboub / Palestine
16. Mrs. Agnieszka Mikołajska / Poland
17. Dr. Adnan Al Naimi / Qatar
18. Dr. Andrei Victor Sandu / Romania
19. Prof. N. M. S. Sirimuthu / Sri Lanka
20. Prof. Dr. Unchalee Sanguanpong / Thailand
21. Mr. Matt Nuccio / USA
22. Ms. Caroline Simonet / Switzerland

IFIA Exco Members:

1. Mrs. Kemoneiloe Kim Phatoli / South Africa
2. Mr. Hyowon Jeon / South Korea
3. Mr. Carlos Rodriguez / Sweden