WIPO Presents Two Awards at Geneva Inventions Fair
Geneva, April 7, 2006
Press Releases PR/2006/444
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presented on Friday, April 7, 2005, two awards to inventors at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions as part of the Organization's commitment to promoting innovation and recognition of inventors worldwide. The distinctions were presented to the best invention by a woman and the best invention by a national from a developing country. This is the twenty-sixth consecutive year in which WIPO has presented awards at the Geneva fair.
Mrs. Alexandra et alea Ene, a Romanian national, received an award for the invention of a bio-implant for gasteroenterology procedures. The second award went to an Iranian inventor, Mr. Ali Reza Rastegar Abbas Ali Zadeh, for his invention to reduce dust and sparks in the removal of old paint, rust or other contaminants from any surface by jet-blasting.
The two WIPO award winners were chosen by an international jury designated by the organizers of the Geneva Exhibition. The WIPO award consists of a gold-plated medal and a certificate signed by the Director General of WIPO, Dr. Kamil Idris, together with a token cash prize of 2,000 US Dollars. Since the first WIPO awards were presented at the 8th Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions in 1979, 56 WIPO medals have been presented at the annual fair to 61 inventors from 33 countries. The winners include 36 inventors from developing countries, 23 women and 2 young inventors.
The Geneva fair is a unique opportunity for inventors from all over the world to showcase their inventions and to attract business partners for joint ventures or licensing agreements.
The WIPO awards seek to stimulate inventive and innovative activity around the world, particularly in developing countries. They serve to attract and enhance public recognition of inventors and their work. Offering these awards also improves the image of inventors through recognition of their merits as creators who contribute to national wealth creation and development. Since the launch of this program in 1979, over 900 WIPO medals have been awarded to inventors from more than 100 countries, including women and young inventors.
WIPO's innovation promotion activities are managed by the Intellectual Property and New Technologies Division of WIPO and focus on supporting member states as they develop and strengthen innovation systems, as well as by developing practical materials and tools for intellectual property asset management for small and medium-sized enterprises and research and development (R&D) institutions.
For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO:
- Tel: (+41 22) 338 81 61 or (+41 22) 338 95 47;
- E-mail: publicinf@wipo.int
- Fax: (+41 22) 338 82 80.