What is World Intellectual Property Day?
On World Intellectual Property Day (WIPD), people come together to celebrate and learn about the role that intellectual property rights play in protecting and promoting innovation and creativity. According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), WIPD is about “raising awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life". However, WIPD is also about acknowledging and commemorating the creators who enrich our world.
Kuwaiti filmmaker Faisal Al-Duwaisan highlighted the importance of Intellectual Property in the creative industry during an interview with the U.S Embassy in Kuwait. Faisal Al-Duwaisan said "for us to tell our stories to the world it's really important for us to be protected; there is so much pain when you write a story and you discover that at the end someone stole it from you". He further added "we really need to protect our work to keep going". Faisal Al-Duwaisan's message further emphasises the importance of raising awareness for intellectual property rights.
Each year the WIPO provide a theme for WIPD. Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined was the theme chosen last year for WIPD. The aim was to increase the understanding and awareness of the impact that digital platforms - such as the internet - have on the world. This year the theme is Innovation - Improving Lives.
What does Innovation - Improving Lives mean?
This year, the WIPO aim to explore and promote how innovation is making our lives healthier, safer, and more comfortable. The Intellectual Property System supports innovation in three ways:
- Using resources to attract investment
- Rewarding creators to encourage them to develop their ideas
- Ensuring new knowledge is readily available so that future innovators can build on today's new technology
Where did WIPD begin?
World Intellectual Property Day began in 1999 with the Director General of the National Algerian Institute for Industrial Property. The Director General suggested the institutionalism of an international day for Intellectual Property. He wanted World Intellectual Property Day to increase awareness and promote innovation. In addition, he wanted people to recognise the achievement of promoters of intellectual property throughout the world. In 2000, World Intellectual Property Day was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Do you have an Idea?
Innovate have an extremely talented Intellectual Property Research Team. So, if you have an idea you can submit your idea online via our online idea submission form.