Member Report FIAT-IFTA 2019

The FIAT-IFTA 50th I.C.D. Meeting & Conference of the National, Active and Associate Members has been held in Birmingham on Friday, June 7, 8 during the NFE Funeral Expo, Stoneleigh, UK - June 7 - 9, 2019.

FIAT-IFTA President Hiroshi Kitajima - Japan, NAFD President David Barrington - UK, Vice President Marek Cichewicz - Poland, Vice President William C. Wappner - USA, Vice President Johan Dexters – Belgium, Secretary Emerson de Luca - UK and Treasurer Atanas Argirov – Bulgaria.

Delegates of National and Active Members from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, Bulgaria, Turkey. Canada, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, P. R. of China, Thailand, Mongolia, Nigeria, Uganda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Croatia and Belgium. In total from 33 countries.

In his opening words President Kitajima said:

Ladies and Gentlemen, 50 years ago, a few funeral directors and initiator Jacques Marette started the FIAT-IFTA Federation in Paris. Today we are with nearly 50 National Members, 20 Active Members and 450 Associate Members in 80 countries. UNESCO and UNITED NATIONS granted FIAT-IFTA with the consultative status of International NGO.

This year, in Japan, the new imperial era is marked by the name REIWA. This means: Order and Harmony.

I hope that in cooperation with the FIAT-IFTA Board Members, the secretariat and with you all we will shape the future of FIAT-IFTA in good order and harmony. With so many nationalities and so many different cultures it is often difficult to find a good balance. But with respect for each other and with one goal in mind, namely, to shape the best future for the global funeral industry, we will achieve.

FEATURING:

• Nomination of the Treasurer Mr. Atanas Argirov, Bulgaria.
• Approval of the application National Membership:
  Denmark, Libya, Nigeria,
  Serbia, South Africa ( new association), Thailand,
  The Netherlands ( new national member) and Vietnam.
• Approval of the application of Active Membership:
  Anubis International Group (France), Verband Unabhängiger Bestatter (Germany),
  UESN ( Germany), The Dodge Company (UK), Menuha Laad Repatriation ( Israel),
  Jolstad Repatriation ( Norway), CFA China Repatriation (P.R. of China) and Nordic Funerals (Denmark).
• Approval of the applications of Associate members from:
  Germany, UK, Israel, Tanzania, Egypt, Bulgaria, Spain, Poland and Canada.
• President’s Report highlighting the activities of the President and Board Members during the past Federation year.
• An impressive report by Mrs. Yuan Yuan Chen (Chair of the China Funeral Heritage Working Committee) on the work of the FIAT-IFTA Funeral Heritage Steering Committee as International NGO Consultative Status at UNESCO Convention Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. Presentation FIAT-IFTA Heritage Projects.
• Remarkable increase of the number of FIAT-IFTA Active Members
• Approval to initiate a FIAT-IFTA International Funeral Celebrants Platform to be established at the 16th FIAT-IFTA Convention, Yokohama, Japan, 22 – 24 June 2020.
• Report from two young Funeral Professionals from Germany and Spain on their experiences with the FIAT-IFTA Funeral Exchange Program.
• Approval to initiate the global FIAT-IFTA Cremation Network to be established at the 16th FIATIFTA Convention, Yokohama, Japan, 22 – 24 June 2020.
• National Reports from:
  Denmark, Nigeria, South Africa, The Netherlands.