Russia Excluded by International Roofing Federation in Support of Ukraine

The IFD is not a political organisation and indeed it has built its reputation on friendship between our member nations and the networking opportunities that our annual congresses and technical meetings provide. Our main goal over the last 70 years of the IFD was to improve standards and training in our industry worldwide. I would like to think we have achieved and continue to achieve all of the above.

The last two years of the pandemic have been extremely difficult for all of us, but I do see some light at the end of what has been a particularly dark tunnel. Last year’s Congress and Gala awards event in Marburg was the beginning of our physical meetings and it was great to meet up with old friends and colleagues once again.

Unfortunately, the last seven days or so have shown a different side to the world as the Russian invasion of Ukraine has increased and to the extent that the people of Ukraine are now leaving their homeland by the hundreds of thousands. This is now a desperate situation.

Our General Secretary, Pascal Civati will continue to retain open communication with our Ukrainian Roofing Federation friends as long as it is possible, and we will provide as much support to them as we possibly can given the difficult circumstances.

One positive move we can make is to remove the Russian Roofing Federation from our membership. It pains me to have to propose this given our excellent relationship with Elena over many years but collectively the board have unanimously decided that we must support our beleaguered Ukrainian Roofing friends and of course the people of Ukraine as a whole.

We have spoken to Elena today and she has accepted our decision albeit she is very sad to leave the IFD. As a result of this decision Russia will not be allowed entries into our World Championships For Young Roofers in St Gallen in Switzerland this November.

Yours Sincerely

Graeme Millar FIOR, Roofmaster, President of IFD.