[A2k] WIPO's World Intellectual Property Day

[Amy Kapczynski]

Not sure if people are already aware of WIPO's "World Intellectual
Property Day" event on April 26, 2005 - further evidence of the
institution's bizarre priorities.  Perhaps countries should ask WIPO to
give up World IP day in favor of World Access to Knowledge Day?

World Intellectual Property Day 2005
http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/world_ip/2005/

Background

In 2000, Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) decided to designate a World Intellectual Property Day. Their
aim was to raise awareness of the role of intellectual property in our
daily lives, and to celebrate the contribution made by innovators and
artists to the development of societies across the globe. They chose
April 26 as this was the date on which the Convention establishing WIPO
originally entered into force in 1970. WIPO and its Member States have
celebrated World Intellectual Property Day on April 26 each year since
its inception in 2001.
Aims

World Intellectual Property Day provides an opportunity to reflect on
how intellectual property (IP) touches all aspects of our lives: How
copyright helps bring music to our ears and art, films and literature
before our eyes; how industrial design helps shape our world, and how
trademarks provide reliable signs of quality; how patenting helps
promote ingenious inventions that make life easier, faster, safer =96 and
sometimes completely change our way of living.

These things are often taken for granted; there is little public
awareness of the connection between human creativity and intellectual
property in daily life. Although most people have heard of copyright,
patents and trademarks, many view them simply as business or legal
concerns, with little effect on their own lives. World Intellectual
Property Day provides an ideal opportunity to improve public
understanding of =96 and respect for =96 creativity, innovation, and the
intellectual property system by demonstrating their importance in daily
life.

WIPO has tailored its 2005 World Intellectual Property Day message and
publicity material towards young people. The over-arching objectives
are:

     * To encourage young people to recognize their own ability to
create;
     * To increase understanding of how protecting IP rights helps to
foster creativity and innovation;
     * To raise awareness of the importance in daily life of patents,
copyright, trademarks and designs.