Rebeca Riofrio Honoured with IPESAC 2026 Award for Ingenuity at the British Council in London

The Chairwoman of the UK Parliamentary Society for Arts, Fashion & Sports receives an honorary distinction recognising her tenacity, professional achievements and longstanding commitment to creativity, education and opportunities for women.

London, 8 November 2026 by Press Room at Parliament News

Rebeca Riofrio, Chairwoman of the UK Parliamentary Society for Arts, Fashion & Sports and Editor-in-Chief of Parliament News, was presented with the Honorary Recognition Award for Ingenuity at the launch of the Intellectual Property Empowerment Showcase & Awards for Creatives (IPESAC 2026), held at the British Council headquarters in Stratford, London, on 5 November.

Presented by Yuko Hiraga, President of The Hiraga Corporation, Japan, the distinction recognised Riofrio's professional achievements and her longstanding commitment to advancing creativity, innovation and opportunities for women.

The award, presented through the Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GlobalWIIN), founded by Dr Bola Olabisi FRSA, carried the citation:

“For your tenacity and exemplary achievements.”

For Riofrio, whose career has spanned more than two decades across journalism, higher education, cultural advocacy and international creative industries, the recognition represented an acknowledgement of work that has frequently taken place beyond the public spotlight.

Creating opportunities for the next generation

Much of Riofrio's work has centred on connecting emerging talent with institutions, established professionals and opportunities that might otherwise remain inaccessible.

As Chairwoman of the UK Parliamentary Society for Arts, Fashion & Sports, she has helped create a platform for artists, fashion designers, entrepreneurs and cultural figures to participate in conversations extending beyond their respective industries.

Through initiatives and gatherings at the Palace of Westminster, the Society has brought creative professionals into discussions concerning artistic opportunity, representation, inclusion, the protection of women and young people, and the responsibilities of those working in influential public-facing industries.

Her commitment to mentoring younger generations reflects a conviction that talent alone is rarely sufficient to build a sustainable career. Access to knowledge, professional networks and opportunities to be heard can be equally decisive.

Alongside her parliamentary activities, Riofrio has continued to support emerging fashion designers and creative entrepreneurs, drawing upon her extensive experience in international journalism, education and the cultural sector.

Her work with the Business Fashion Awards, international creative initiatives and the English Chamber Orchestra has further extended that commitment, bringing together business leadership, cultural patronage and artistic development.

Recognising ingenuity beyond invention

The IPESAC initiative was established by GlobalWIIN to improve awareness and understanding of intellectual property and help creators, innovators and entrepreneurs protect and develop the commercial value of their ideas.

Its broader ambition is to encourage greater participation in copyright, trade marks, patenting and technology transfer, while promoting a more inclusive environment for innovation.

Riofrio's nomination followed a recommendation by Marianie Morazzani, Founder of MM-Art Consult, who highlighted her tenacity and commitment to advancing opportunities for creativity.

The recognition was particularly appropriate given Riofrio's participation earlier that afternoon in the IPESAC panel, The View on Intellectual Property for the Arts, Fashion & Cultural Heritage.

During the discussion, she addressed the inequalities facing independent fashion designers seeking to protect their original work against commercial imitation.

Her argument centred on the difference between possessing intellectual property rights and having the financial resources necessary to enforce them.

“A right that exists on paper but cannot realistically be defended is not an effective right,” she observed.

It was a perspective consistent with her wider professional work: ensuring that opportunities in the creative industries are not reserved exclusively for those with established financial resources or institutional connections.

A recognition of persistence and purpose

The award also acknowledged a career characterised by an ability to work across different professional and cultural environments.

Originally from Ecuador and based in Britain for more than three decades, Riofrio has developed a professional life encompassing international media, higher education, fashion, cultural diplomacy and charitable initiatives.

As Founder of Art in Fusion TV and Editor-in-Chief of Parliament News, she has worked to bring greater visibility to artistic achievement, cultural dialogue and the individuals whose contributions are not always recognised by established institutions.

Her involvement in international women's initiatives has similarly reflected a longstanding interest in creating opportunities for professional advancement and cross-cultural collaboration.

The presentation at the British Council provided a fitting conclusion to an afternoon dedicated to the importance of recognising and protecting intellectual achievement.

For Riofrio, the significance of the honour lies not simply in the award itself, but in the values it represents: persistence, opportunity and the belief that creativity can contribute meaningfully to society when individuals are given the support to develop their potential.

The Honorary Recognition Award for Ingenuity acknowledges a career devoted not only to creative achievement, but to opening doors through which others may pursue their own.