[A2k] WIPO's World Intellectual Property Day

[Donna Wentworth]

Here's a fun alternative activity:
<http://www.thestandard.com/internetnews/001207.php>

Amy Kapczynski wrote:
>
> 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.
>
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--
Donna Wentworth
Web Writer/Activist
Electronic Frontier Foundation
<http://www.eff.org>