I.C.D. Meeting of the National Members 2017

The FIAT-IFTA 48th I.C.D. Meeting of the National Members has been held on Thursday May 25 during the FUNERMOSTRA Funeral Expo in Valencia, Spain from May 24 to May 26, 2017.

President Teresa Saavedra, Vice President Akinori Matsui, Vice President Marek Cichewicz, Secretary Emerson de Luca, Executive Secretary Gerard Knap and I.C.D. Members from (left to right) Mozambique, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, The Netherlands, USA, Spain, P.R. of China, Belgium, Sierra Leone, Brazil, Israel, France, South Africa, Portugal, Bulgaria, NFDA South Africa, Bolivia, Singapore and Iceland

Besides the delegates of the National Members, President Teresa Saavedra (Bolivia) welcomed FIAT-IFTA Active Members and Associate members coming from 31 countries.

This annual event featured:

In Memoriam of FIAT-IFTA Founder Jacques MARETTE deceased earlier this year.

I.C.D. Meeting of the National Members on Thursday morning May 25; five funeral industry presentations of Active members from: Belgium: VNOC – Flemish Crematorium Association; Bulgaria: Posledna Pochit Funeral Group; P.R. of China: Fu Shou Yuan Group and Yanan Xianghe Ling Cemetery Group and from The Netherlands ‘Facultatieve Group’.

Presentation of the FIAT-IFTA Funeral Heritage National Committees from P.R. of China and Poland.

An impressive President’s Report highlighting the activities of the President and Board Members during the past Federation year.

Approval of the application of 3 new National Members: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The application of Nigeria is still pending.

Presentation of the Strategic Plan to develop and strengthen policies and international relations of the unique FIAT-IFTA Global Funeral Platform.

Nomination of the new FIAT-IFTA treasurer Rob IJntema – The Netherlands

Launch of the Autumn Pilot 2017 of the FIAT-IFTA Funeral Exchange Program presented by 1st Vice President Akinori Matsui.

Decision to participate as NGO Special Consultative Status UN ECOSOC in the African EU Partnership Program to develop burial legislation and death care regulations in cooperation with the FIAT-IFTA African National Members from Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Side Meetings with the Board of PANASEF and Gremi d'Empresaris de Serveis Funeraris de Catalunya.

Conference: FUTURE OF FUNERALS. Speakers:

PANASEF - SPAIN Josep Ventura Ustrell, CEO ÄLTIMA
MEMORA International – SPAIN Alejandro Par, Director MEMORA Group
FU SHOU YUAN Group P.R. of CHINA Wang JiSheng, CFA Director Cemeteries
NFDA - USA Christine Pepper, MBA, CAE
ORTHOMETALS - THE NETHERLANDS Hidde Verberne, Director ORTHOMETALS BV
FUNERAL ZONE – UK Ed Gallois, CEO of FUNERAL ZONE
HYGECO International - FRANCE Damien Comandon, President at HYGECO

Announcement of the 15th FIAT-IFTA International Convention, to be held last week of July 2018 in Bolivia and hosted by ALPAR – Latin America.

Thursday Evening Gala Dinner hosted by FUNERMOSTRA and PANASEF in the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.