An exhibition in Geneva recounts Italian culture and lifestyle through iconic objects. The exhibition 'Ingenious Italy', promoted by the Ministry for Enterprise and Made in Italy together with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, with the Industrial Design Association (Adi), and dedicated to the enhancement of Italian industrial design, trademarks and patents, opened today at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
"The exhibition takes place at a particularly dynamic time for the protection and promotion of design on a multilateral level," stressed the Permanent Representative of Italy in Geneva, Vincenzo Grassi, in his speech at the opening ceremony. "In November this year, in fact, the Diplomatic Conference for the conclusion of an International Design Treaty will take place in Riyadh and 2025 will see the celebrations for the centenary of the Hague Union on Industrial Design," he recalled. After referring to the historical role of the Venetian Patent Code, the first European law on intellectual property, as the root of the international system of protection for patents, trademarks and designs, the Italian Permanent Representative emphasised that "all the products on display represent a precise trait of Italian culture and lifestyle: from the Vespa, symbol of post-war Italy's new-found freedom of movement, to the Moka coffee maker, emblem of Italian conviviality; from cutting-edge medical devices, expressing our focus on health and well-being, to toys and games, embodying our penchant for creativity and imagination. They also represent a perfect combination of tradition and innovation, a virtuous balance between original designs and technological progress'.
The opening ceremony, which took place in conjunction with the annual WIPO General Assembly, was attended by, among others, WIPO Director General Daren Tang; exhibition curator Carlo Martino; and delegates from the 193 Member and Observer States, representatives of the diplomatic community and other Geneva-based international organisations.
The exhibition will remain open at the new WIPO building until 19 July.
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