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Inventors from Iran and Mali Receive WIPO Awards at Geneva Fair

Geneva, April 2, 2004
Press Releases PR/2004/380

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has presented 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-fifth consecutive year in which WIPO has presented awards at the Geneva fair.

Miss Maryam Sabooni Asre Hazer, an Iranian national, received an award for the invention of a natural, 100% cotton based, fire resistant insulating material called SATEX which replaces asbestos and is safer for both humans and the environment. The second award went to a Malian inventor, Mr. Gaoussou Traore, for the invention of a construction process using blocks of agglomerated concrete that serve as "H" or "HH" shaped moulds for earth to make shuttering for adobe (earth).

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, 50 WIPO medals have been presented at the annual fair to 55 inventors from 31 countries. The winners include 39 inventors from developing countries, 20 women and 2 young inventors. All winners are listed together with a brief description of their inventions in a booklet entitled "25 Years of Innovation Promotion" which marks the silver anniversary of WIPO's participation in the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions.

The event 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 awards to inventors 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, 823 WIPO medals have been awarded to inventors from 97 countries, including women and young inventors.

WIPO's innovation promotion activities also focus on improving and creating innovation support services, promoting innovation and creativity, assisting and providing expertise to research and development (R&D) organizations and centers in commercializing inventions and in protecting intellectual property rights (IPRs). The Organization also provides advice on development of national intellectual property information infrastructure and intellectual property information services.

For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO:

  • Tel: (+41 22) - 338 81 61 or 338 95 47
  • Fax: (+41 22) - 338 88 10
  • Email: publicinf@wipo.int.
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