Almost 300 Korean and international delegates from 21 countries participated in this event. This was the 1st Korean-International Women Inventors’ Forum in Seoul to exchange information and experiences among women of Korea and other countries about women’s invention activities and their significant contribution to the socio-economic development of respected country in the era of intellectual economy, thus fostering the cooperation among women in invention. The forum focused on the following themes: successful stories and challenges to women inventors and women-owned micro and medium enterprises, good practices on promoting intellectual property rights, capacity building of micro and medium women-owned enterprises, international cooperation to boost women’s invention and business development, building international plan of action to support women inventors and enterprises.
At the forum, speeches highlighted women’s great potential and contribution to invention and its significance for people’s life and the socio-economic development of each country in the era of intellectual economy. For this reason, many countries have developed programs of education to support and promote women’s invention and ensure the intellectual property rights for women’s invention as well as founded the Association of Women Inventors in order to gather and support women inventors. The information and experience exchange among women on successful stories and challenges need to be strengthened.
On behalf of the Vietnamese women, Mme Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, President of the Vietnam Women’s Union, made a speech at the forum, highlighting Vietnam’s advancement in the renovation period, the attention of the Party and State on the advancement of women and their contribution to all sectors, especially in invention and business development. The Vietnam Women’s Union has encouraged women to study actively, work creatively and develop business. Annually, the Organization presents the Vietnamese Women Award, Kovalepskaia Award, Golden Rose Award and many other awards to excellent women in every field, including invention, scientific research and business development.
Forum participants agreed to adopt the Seoul’s Statement of women inventors, entrepreneurs and women managers of micro and medium enterprises. The Statement clarifies the invention importance for the economic development of every country, affirms women’s great role and potential in invention, recognizes the gap between developing countries and developed countries in terms of knowledge and accessibility to tools of the intellectual property system, highlights the necessity of developing a mechanism of educating, supporting and promoting women in invention in every country as well as of extending international cooperation in this field, advancing to the establishment of the International Women Inventors’ Association and International Women Entrepreneurs’ Association.
In the spirit of strengthening cooperation with international women in this field, the Vietnam Women’s Union signed the Cooperation Agreement with Korean Women Inventors’ Association to exchange information and experiences and foster the invention capability of women in the two countries. The Technique and Science Association of Vietnam also had a delegation (11 members including 8 women) participating in the Exhibition and Forum. The forum organizer presented awards to excellent women inventors of several countries, including Vietnam.
On this occasion, the Vietnamese women delegation visited the Ministry of Healthcare, Social Welfare and Family, Ministry of Gender Equality, the Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, the Hot Line Service Center and the Vietnamese Culture and Women Center in Korea and met some Vietnamese brides in Korea. The delegation was warmly received by Minister of Healthcare, Social Welfare and Family, Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Head of the Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice. The two sides discussed efforts of each to tackle issues concerning international marriage between Vietnam-Korea. The Hot Line Service Center introduced the delegation about their programs of education, consultancy and support for Vietnamese brides to integrate in Korea’s society and to deal with their difficulties.
At the meeting with the Vietnamese Embassy to Korea, the delegation witnessed the Merit Certificate presentation to Ms. Hoang Thi Thai, Chair of the Vietnamese People Association in Korea in acknowledging her contribution to the country by the Working Committee on the Oversea Vietnamese.
The successful visit of the Vietnamese women delegation to Korea has contributed to strengthening the friendship and cooperation with women from not only Korea but also other countries participating in the forum.
