Youth Department
It has always been proclaimed by IFIA that having a modern and technologically advanced society is deeply rooted in equipping young generation with innovative knowledge, skills and tools. Young men and women have got the potentiality, creativity and bravery to make change happen in the society, to exert influence in the world and to come up with innovative solutions toward the existing problems faced by humanity.
The primary focus of IFIA’s activities is to empower young women and men and to create an enabling environment for the youth to drive innovation change relying on the IFIA youth network. Through this network, the ingenious youth are provided an outstanding opportunity to get together and take innovative actions.
To this end, IFIA annually holds several invention exhibitions for the young inventors to represent their cutting-edge innovations and have a share in the development of their ever-changing society.
IFIA YOUTH NETWORK
A brainchild of the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations, was created in June 1995. Before launching this project, a comprehensive study was made. A questionnaire was sent to all member associations; a survey was undertaken; a meeting of experts was held in Warsaw; discussions took place within the framework of IFIA General Assembly, as well as during two meetings of the Executive Committee.
Youth Network Board of Experts
Winfried Sturm
Juli Shively, Founder & Chief Operations Officer, Innovation World Architect, Innovation World Alliance
Jake Mendelssohn, Engineer. Educator. Passionate about helping K-12 students worldwide
Marcelo Vivacqua, ABIPIR President
Radwan Chouaib, EC Membe
Tom Gray, Make48 CEO
MAIN OBJECTIVE:
To encourage National and local inventor associations to contribute to the promotion of creativity and inventiveness among girls and boys.
MAIN ACTIVITIES:
National Invention Contests: IFIA encourages inventor associations and its other members to organize or participate in such events.
AWARDS:
Diplomas, certificates, books, used stamps from all over the world, and a one-year free membership in IFIA, are offered on the request of IFIA members, in the framework of the national contests. Similar awards are offered in the framework of regional and/or international contests or exhibitions.
From a Newsletter to a Web page. Six (6) issues of a 4-page bi-annual newsletter, IFIA-YOUTH, were published from December 1995 to June 1999. Since early 2000, it was decided to cease the publication of the newsletter and to develop, instead, a substantial Web presence on Youth, which now includes inter alia the relevant basic information previously published. The role of this Web page remains, above all, that of a catalyst in support of IFIA-YOUTH main objective.
Member Obligations
The member associations of the IFIA Youth Network are expected to fulfill the following goals:
– Organize related workshops and seminars at schools or universities
– Offer technical assistance relating to IP
– Raise awareness about IFIA International Exhibitions
– Create a network with IFIA Youth Network member associations
– Share experience and skills with the members
– Organize annual meetings to discuss the developments
– Share the success stories of inventors with the members and IFIA Secretariat
– Organize national or international youth contests, Olympiads, or invention exhibitions
– Award diplomas, medals, and certificates