A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Algeria - Office National des droits d’auteur et des droits voisins (ONDA)

The National Copyright Office (ONDA in French) has planned the following program for the celebration of the Day in Algeria:

  • Open Days at ONDA headquarters and at its regional centers from April 19-24, inaugurated by a representative of the Ministry of Culture, to spread a knowledge of ONDA’s activities in the protection of creation, collective management, preservation of the national heritage, cultural promotion, social welfare, and the major features of ONDA’s work through 2007;
  • a seminar from April 26-27 on the theme, «La protection des droits d’auteurs et droits voisins dans l’environnement numérique» (The Protection of Copyright and Neighboring Rights in the Digital Environment), for the benefit of magistrates, police officers, officers of the Gendarmerie nationale, customs officers, the National Association of Music Publishers (Association Nationale des Editeurs de Musique), publishers and producers, with speakers from the country and from abroad who are experts in relevant fields.


Australia

To celebrate the Day, IP Australia is organizing a number of activities across the country during April. These include innovation showcases and seminars for small businesses in major capital cities, a paper plane design competition for schoolchildren and a national newspaper competition for readers. These activities will help to increase public awareness of the importance of intellectual property in our daily lives. The celebrations commence in Sydney on April 18, with an innovation showcase and IP seminar at Australian Technology Park. More information can be found at: http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about/world_ip_day.shtml.


Austria

On the occasion of the celebration of the Day on April 26, the Austrian Patent Office will organize a seminar on the theme "Intellectual Property Protection" and will hold an exhibition of internationally successful Austrian inventions on April 23. More information can be found at: http://www.patentamt.at/Home/Neues/28522.html.


Bangladesh - Bangladesh Intellectual Property Attorneys Association (BIPAA)

To celebrate the Day, the General Secretary of BIPAA, who is also an advocate at the Supreme Court, will participate in a discussion in the presence of the Registrar, Department of Patents Designs and Trademarks.


Belarus

The National Center of Intellectual Property (NCIP) has organized the following activities:

  • a meeting of the Authors’Council;
  • a seminar on copyright aspects in librarianship, and an exhibition on copyright aspects of book publishing, hosted by the National Library;
  • a press conference on tasks and achievements in the protection of IPRs;
  • the launch of a competition on IP for students, and of another on copyright and related rights management;
  • a seminar on the commercial use of IP in the activities of enterprises held by the WIPO Academy and NCIP in cooperation with the Russian State Institute of IP;
  • a seminar on the economic aspects of IP for specialists of the patent services of enterprises and other organizations of the country, held jointly by the NCIP, the State Committee for Science and Technology and the Republican Scientific and Technical Library;
  • interviews given by representatives of the NCIP on public television channels, concerning the importance of IPRs and respect for IP;
  • round table discussions for persons involved in IP protection in industry and management.


Bolivia

Intellectual Property stakeholders and Bolivian governmental bodies have come together to plan multiple World Intellectual Property Day events and publications in Bolivia. These are as follows:

  • With the participation of private industry associations, the office of the Mayor of La Paz has included an article on Intellectual Property and World IP Day in its monthly free magazine.
  • The Bolivian Book Chamber, private organizations, and Bolivian governmental agencies will give public presentations on IP on the afternoon of April 22.
  • The capital city of La Paz is also supporting stakeholder associations in presenting a free concert on April 27: participants will include the governmental Intellectual Property organization SENAPI, the technology and communication organization CTIC, the artists' association ABAIEM, the composers' association SOBODAYCOM, the La Paz citizens' advisory council of culture and art, and IP stakeholding companies.

During the weeks surrounding World Intellectual Property Day, various banners will be on display in public areas along the main street of La Paz.


Bulgaria - Bulgarian Patent Office

The Bulgarian Patent Office celebrated the Day by holding an Open Day on April 24, and concentrated on two main topics - respect for innovation and Community Trade Marks and Designs. Some 40 visitors came to the Office from all over the country, who were able to obtain information and materials about IP and about the celebration of the Day. It was also possible for them to see demonstrations of on-line searches in different data bases. The Open Day took place not only in the capital, Sofia, but also at the Office’s branch in Varna.

These celebrations were covered by the media all day, and most notable was an interview of the Office’s Vice-President, which was broadcast on a national radio station. The Information Agency “Focus” also covered them in more than six news broadcasts during that day.


Bulgaria - IP Bulgaria

To mark the Day the Bulgarian National Portal for Intellectual Property www.ipbulgaria.com is launching the following activities and events:

  • special material dedicated to the Day, explaining the importance of intellectual property in everyday life and presenting different kinds of activities that take place around the world to celebrate it;
  • for the second year, awards for the development of intellectual property and its popularization in society, with Diplomas being given on April 26 by IP Bulgaria, on which more information can be found at http://www.ipbulgaria.com/cgi-bin/e-cms/vis/vis.pl?;
  • several interviews with some leading Bulgarian industrial property representatives and with some of the receivers of the Honoured Diploma for 2006;
  • publication of the message of WIPO's Director General;
  • an online forum among users on the topic “Which invention has most dramatically changed my everyday life?” in which participants are expected to share their opinion and vision for innovations and the role of creativity and IP rights in our everyday life;
  • coverage of all activities and events organized by other institutions and organizations in Bulgaria to celebrate the Day.

All these activities will be widely announced on IP Bulgaria's website, both in Bulgarian and English.


Canada - Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office offered a web seminar on the Basics of Intellectual Property, on April 23, to celebrate World IP Day. A CIPO Business Development Officer hosted the session along with intellectual property specialists. This session, in either English or French, introduced and imparted the strategic value of IP in Canada, and was followed by an interactive question and answer session with registered participants.


Canada - Young Inventors International (YII)

YII organized the following activities to celebrate the Day:

  • April 25: Office hour with an intellectual property lawyer Chat online with Ebad Rahman from Bereskin & Parr
  • April 25: Office hour with an intellectual property lawyer Chat online with Suvashis Bhattacharya from Thelen Reid
  • April 28: YII Entrepreneur Podcast Series
    Learn how Gauri Nanda, entrepreneur and inventor of Clocky, built her venture. Gauri Nanda discussed how she built her venture and the importance of intellectual property for her business. The archived recording will be available for free. For more information, please visit www.younginventors.org and click on "Events."


China

The following are the activities organized to celebrate the Day and to highlight the importance of intellectual property in the people’s daily life:

  • an Open Day on April 26 for the public, inviting representatives from industries to visit the State Intellectual Property Office;
  • a Press Conference on China's IPR Protection 2007, at which China's IPR Protection Report 2007 will be distributed;
  • an exposition on IP painting and calligraphy on April 26;
  • a Round Table on China's achievements in the field of IP in the past 30 years since reform and opening up;
  • a television program, Invention Story, produced and broadcast for the purpose of disseminating IP knowledge and promoting the spirit of innovation;
  • the 4th Female Inventor's Award;
  • a Press Conference on National IPR Week 2008;
  • the publication of the result of the Top Ten IPR Protection Events in China in 2007;
  • an Advanced Forum on IPR protection in China;
  • a television show on IP protection and a series of interviews, held in cooperation with CCTV;
  • broadcast of a cartoon series, "Intelligence City," on IP protection;
  • a Forum on IPR Protection in the criminal field;
  • a Competition on legal knowledge on hundreds of websites and a Competition on knowledge of Internet Law for young people;
  • concerted action to destroy illegal audio-visual products on April 26;
  • a special enforcement campaign against free riding of a well-known brand;
  • a ceremony for starting the selection of outstanding people and enterprises in the field of copyright and the giving of an award in a writing competition for college students, in the field of copyright protection;
  • various activities, expositions and meetings around the country, to publicize China's IP system and status.


China - Hong Kong (SAR)

To celebrate the Day, Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department (HKIPD) organized the following activities:

  • a radio promotion program, including five 2-minute segments and a 20-second promotion, produced and broadcast on a local radio station, Commercial Radio, from April 17-26;
  • two newspaper supplements, produced and issued on April 25 in one local Chinese newspaper (AM730) and one local English newspaper (The Standard);
  • an initial press conference announcing details of the Stamp Design Competition co-organized with the Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society, and conducted on April 22;
  • three film screenings showing the IP video produced by HKIPD and the Diocesan Girls' School, and the film "Tangshan Tangshan", screened April 25-27;
  • a seminar for Scouts as well as a prize presentation ceremony for the Comics Design Competition organized with the Scout Association of Hong Kong, on April 26.


China - Shanghai

The Shanghai IP Administration is organizing a major conference on IPRs from April 21-22 at the Shanghai International Convention Center. It is expected to draw hundreds of participants, including high-level Chinese officials in the field of IPRs. The local authorities are working with the United States Consulate General to put up a display of posters on IPRs translated into Chinese.


Colombia

The Day will be celebrated at a Fair in Bogotá - the Feria Internacional del Libro en Corferias - by the presentation of a bilingual IP dictionary (English/Spanish) prepared for the Andean Community.


Congo - Conseil National pour la Promotion de la Musique Traditionnelle du Congo (CNPMTC)

The National Council for the Promotion of Traditional Congolese Music will celebrate the Day as follows:

  • promotion of awareness of IP, beginning on April 25, by the distribution of posters, postcards and other WIPO products to the major schools and institutions involved in the fields of fine arts, handicrafts, trades, technical skills, music and folklore;
  • two workshops in the Institut National des Arts on April 26, on the subject of the impact of IP on creativity, with a Director of SONECA as speaker, and also on copyright as a reliable source of revenue for artistic creators, with a speaker from the Provincial Ministry of National Education, Tourism, Information and the Press of Kinshasa;
  • a cultural morning with the participation of three folk groups which are members of the CNPMTC.


Costa Rica

To mark the Day, the University of Costa Rica, through its Office for the Management and Transfer of Knowledge for Innovation, has organized an activity in which an award will be given to the winning student of a contest for the design of a new T-shirt for the University's annual celebration, known as "Semana U." The name has been registered as a trademark, and it can be translated as "U Week": this is a week dedicated to the promotion of the arts, sports, science and culture for the benefit of the university community and the general public.

The winning student will receive a money prize, and royalties of the sales of the T-shirts, and additionally a further percentage of the sales, will be given to the Student Federation of the University of Costa Rica (FEUCR). With this activity the University wishes to raise awareness in the community of the benefits and ways to take advantage of intellectual property to promote innovation.


Dominican Republic

To celebrate the Day, the National Office of Industrial Property (Oficina Nacional de la Propiedad Industrial or ONAPI) has organized the following activities:

  • interviews with the Director General on various media, emphasizing the importance of IPRs;
  • publication of a compendium of national legislation in the field of IP, containing the texts of Law No. 20-00 on Industrial Property and its Regulations, the Nice Agreement on International Classification of Goods and Services, the fees applied by ONAPI, and the procedures for using the Office's services;
  • a national handicrafts'workshop for the establishment of marks for crafts, proposing a dynamic space for information and training for the establishment of the first collective and individual marks for crafts in the country;
  • launch of a Center for Technological Information, which will offer information on patents, such as searches into prior art and analyses of state of the art;
  • a workshop, co-organized with WIPO, on industrial property as a tool to support innovation, and on the management of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);
  • launch of the adaptation of WIPO Guides for SMEs, to take account of national legislation, namely, "Making a Mark," "Looking Good," "Inventing the Future," "Creative Expression," and "A Stitch in Time."


El Salvador - American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM)

To celebrate the Day, AMCHAM is organizing a Conference on the theme, "Intellectual Property: Challenges and Opportunities," to be held on April 24. Its main objective will be to show the importance of IP protection and its contribution to economic prosperity. Among those expected to attend will be persons from the private sector and the legal profession, as well as entrepreneurs and police and customs officials.


El Salvador - Centro Nacional de Registros (CNR)

The CNR is to celebrate the Day in the following ways:

  • inclusion of the Day in its radio publicity during the month of April, with the slogan, "Innovation, Respect It," and promotion of organized activities (April 1-30);
  • creation of a link with the WIPO website to publish the message of the Director General of WIPO and this year’s slogan on the CNR website, and publication of the message of the CNR’s Executive Director on the CNR website(April 1-30);
  • creation and dissemination of printed material (such as posters) referring to the Day, and its display in public organizations and foundations (April 1-30);
  • launch of an artistic competition for children (sketching and writing) on the theme of fighting piracy (April 24);
  • Conference on the Register of Domain Names, to be given by Rafael Ibarra, President of the Asociación SV-Net (April 25);
  • organization of Workshops in the field of patent search at various universities’research centres, for professionals, students and the general public, with the aim of learning about existing data bases, how to access them and how to conduct searches;
  • setting up interviews for the Executive Director of CNR or the Director of IP on various media, for the promotion of the Day (April 21-25);
  • organization of an awards ceremony for innovation, with the participation of artists, authors and performers who have used the IP system, to honour particular creators (April 30);
  • organization of a craft fair (April 17-18);
  • conferences in various universities to promote respect for IP and show students the benefits of the IP system (April 7-18);
  • organization of Workshops, with the support of CONAMYPE (a national commission for small- and medium-sized enterprises), to explain the benefits of the IP system to enterprises (April 8 and 15).


Estonia

On April 24 and 25, to mark the Day, a seminar on the theme "Intellectual Property in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Their Competitiveness," organized by the Estonian Patent Office and WIPO, will be held in the Conference Centre of Reval Hotel Olympia. More information can be found at http://www.epa.ee/ul/Program.pdf.


Ethiopia

This year the Day in Ethiopia will be celebrated on the theme "Cultural Industries and Intellectual Property Festival 2008," during the week April 28 - May 4, 2008, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO), and with other relevant professional Associations and Societies, as well as with WIPO.

The activities planned include the following:

  • opening of the Cultural Industries and Intellectual Property Festival Exhibition on April 28, at the National Theatre area, where technological inventions and creative works will be on public display for one week;
  • inauguration of EIPO's Intellectual Property Advisory Service and Information Center on April 28, in the presence of the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, of a representative from the donor organization, the World Bank and of a representative of WIPO;
  • WIPO Award Ceremony with the participation of the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on April 28, with awards (in the form of gold medals, certificates and trophies) for best inventor, best woman inventor, best young inventor, outstanding inventor, as well as for innovative enterprise in the field of industry, best author, best playwright, best music composer, outstanding creator and for innovative enterprise in the field of creative arts;
  • a half-day high-level meeting, in the form of a Ministerial Round Table, on the theme "The Role of Intellectual Property in Socio-economic Development and the Need to Integrate Intellectual Property into the Socio-economic Development Plan of Ethiopia," to be held on April 29;
  • a statement communicated by the public and private media, marking the occasion and highlighting the need for and importance of intellectual property protection.


Finland

The World Intellectual Property Day, celebrated in Finland for the eighth time on April 24 and 25, has also been declared the Finnish Inventor’s Day.

The theme for 2008 is how innovation contributes rapidly to the country’s welfare. The goal is, in accordance with the Finnish Innovation Strategy, to challenge all Finns to revise their thinking: in addition to conventional industrially-oriented innovations, the purpose is also to improve the services within the private and public sector.

A main ceremony will be preceded by a national Innovation Parliament where the theme is studied more thoroughly. The Parliament is a two-day seminar for 200 stakeholders. It consists of working groups which strive to find new initiatives to strengthen Finnish competitiveness and, in a plenary meeting, to make recommendations.

The host of the Innovation Parliament is the City of Vantaa, in cooperation with the actual initiators of the event, the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland, Suomalaisten Keksijöiden Tukiyhdistys (Association for the Support of Finnish Inventors), and Headline Oy, which is the practical organizer.


France - Electricité de France (EDF)

The group in charge of intellectual property at EDF Research and Development will celebrate the Day by sensitizing its engineers to the need for protection and valorization of immaterial assets.

This awareness campaign will consist of engineers’ participation in a quiz, to be published for two weeks on EDF’s private Intranet, concerning intellectual property. The questions will be about patents, drawings and models, trademarks and know-how and also about the different ways of protecting innovation, such as the drafting of non-disclosure agreements. Participants will be able to make use of many articles published on EDF’s Intranet dealing with intellectual property, and will also be invited to use the resources of the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle in France. Subsequently, three internal conferences will be organized to explain the answers to the quiz.


Georgia

The National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia (SAKPATENTI) organized the following activities to celebrate the Day:

  • Postcards were specially prepared for the Day and sent to well-known Georgian inventors and creative personalities working in over 200 different fields of human activity.
  • The message of the Director General of WIPO, as well as the annual address of the Director General of SAKPATENTI, translated into the Georgian language, were published on the website of SAKPATENTI.
  • The lower section of the library of intellectual property of SAKPATENTI was rebuilt, and the old bookcases were replaced completely in accordance with the requirements of storage and modern design, for the greater convenience of users.
  • The translation into the Georgian language by SAKPATENTI Examiners of the Ninth Edition of the International Classification of Goods and Services was completed.
  • The first issue of the “Official Bulletin for the Protection of New Plant Varieties and Animal Breeds” was prepared for publication.
  • SAKPATENTI gave assistance free of charge to the newly established National Scientific Library in the restoration of the paper collection of the patent documentation of Georgia.
  • An exhibition of young painters of Georgia was opened in the gallery Ratio of SAKPATENTI.


Guatemala - Register of Intellectual Property

The Register has organized the following activities to celebrate the Day:

  • a seminar on the visual arts and the collective management of copyrights, in collaboration with WIPO and the International Council of Creators of Graphic, Plastic and Geographic Arts (April 28);
  • inauguration of an exhibition of paintings by students of the Art School (April 28);
  • a workshop on the visual arts and the collective management of copyrights, also in collaboration with the above-mentioned partners, followed by a closing ceremony and a cocktail (April 29).


India - Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

To celebrate the Day, the CII, in Collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, organized a media event, a national dialogue on the theme, "Leveraging Knowledge Arbitrage for India's Innovation Ecology" on April 24. It was held at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi and also concurrently by video link at Pune and Bangalore.

The national dialogue was an initiative to focus the attention of the people on the importance of scientific and technological innovation and on the role of intellectual property in socio-economic progress.

Panels of eminent policy-makers and scientists were invited in Delhi, Pune and Bangalore to participate. The Minister of Science and Technology gave an address and also participated in the dialogue. The proceedings were covered by print media as well as being broadcast by the media on all major national television channels, and they were also telecast to audiences around the world during prime time on the same day.


India - Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)

The Federation, in conjunction with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) of the Government of India, is to launch a "National IPR Campaign," beginning on the Day, April 26, with a National Seminar on "Harnessing IP for Nation Development." This will be held in the FICCI Auditorium in New Delhi. The aim of the seminar is to raise awareness in the world of India as an international destination for manufacturers, innovators, contract research organizations, researchers and others.


India - National Intellectual Property Organization (NIPO)

NIPO is launching a new website,"Gateway to India 's World of IP," on the occasion of World IP Day. The website, up-to-date in appearance, will give the visitor an in-depth knowledge of the role and scope of IPRs in the emerging global environment, besides providing a user-friendly interface to the activities and services of NIPO.

Its highlights include an IPR Helpdesk, providing information on Indian IP Laws, how to register and protect IP, how to manage know-how, IP commercialization, mediation services and innovation infrastructure. The site has a section on IP enforcement, providing facilities such as Piracy Check, in which companies can list/display the technological measures covering their products, enabling consumers to differentiate between counterfeit and genuine products. IP Watch enables consumers from across the country to report incidents of counterfeiting and piracy, which can be taken up with the original manufacturer by NIPO. The site contains a National Calendar of IP events scheduled over the year in various parts of the country, as well as the initiatives taken by various government departments for promotion and protection of intellectual property.

The website www.nipo.in will also provide a facility to its members to upload publications and caution notices. The site will maintain a listing of top IP legal experts and registered patent and trademark agents in India and other countries, to enable users to select the best legal advice on IP matters. Additionally, it will contain articles on topical IP issues as well as a listing of IPR Newsfeeds and Blogspots, and will serve as a single shop for all IP-related issues.


India - Perry4Law Legal Firm

In the context of activities planned in a "WIPO Week-2008," the firm will celebrate with the following:

  • panel and group discussions on WIPO-related topics, including the Day;
  • public awareness discussions through online groups of Perry4Law;
  • use of Internet for wider public involvement in celebrations;
  • use of web chatrooms and web conferences to coordinate and to raise awareness of the firm's IPR initiatives all over India;
  • answering queries of owners and other users of IPRs, of enforcement authorities, governmental bodies, NGOs and school and college students.


India - Xellect IP Solutions

Xellect IP Solutions is an IP training and consultancy firm whose objective is to service the needs of a society which is becoming increasingly knowledge-based. As the Day approached, it launched a University Campaign to increase awareness of intellectual property Rights. Xellect IP Solutions is holding workshops at different universities to impart basic knowledge on the subject. The campaign will also showcase new lucrative career pathways to able young people.

The website http://xellectip.com will have more updates as and when there are any new developments. Alternatively, more information can be obtained at info@xellectip.com.


Iran (Islamic Republic of)

To celebrate the Day, the Registration Department for Companies and Industrial Property of the State Organization for Registration of Deeds and Property has organized a seminar, to be held on April 27. Speakers will be the Deputy Head of the Judiciary, the Head of the State Organization and other high-ranking officials.


Ireland - Irish Patents Office

To mark the Day, the Irish Patents Office is sponsoring an Art Competition for primary school children around the theme of "Celebrating Innovation."

The Office will also hold an Open Day on April 25, in which members of the public will have the opportunity to learn about IPRs and at which a prize-giving ceremony will take place for the winners of the Art Competition.


Ireland - William Fry Law firm

The law firm William Fry, for the fourth year in succession, will be celebrating the Day, this time by hosting a briefing at The Royal College of Physicians, Kildare St, Dublin 2. The theme of the briefing is "Celebrating Innovation," with guest speakers, namely, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services and the Minister for Innovation Policy in Ireland. Carol Plunkett and David Cullen of the law firm will host this briefing. Further information can be obtained from Lorraine Gorman on lorraine.gorman@williamfry.ie.


Italy - Machiavelli Music International

Machiavelli Music International, a firm active nationally and internationally in the field of intellectual property as applied to musical licenses, clearances and musical productions, will celebrate the Day by circulating a letter of information concerning a culture of copyright and offering musical extracts from the works of young composers whose rights the firm manages.


Kazakhstan

The fifth National Competition for Achievements in the Sphere of Inventiveness, named "Shapagat - 2008," will be organized by the Ministry of Justice, the Committee on IPRs and the National Institute for Intellectual Property in April. Winners will be selected in the following categories:

  • invention of the year;
  • woman inventor;
  • youngest inventor of the year;
  • talented child;
  • most creative inventor of the year.

The awards will be given at a ceremony on April 24 in Ust-Kamenogorsk City, where the winners will receive commemorative statues, certificates and financial rewards. The results of the competition will also be publicized by the national and local media.


Kenya - Uranga Entity Institute (UEI)

The UEI, an independent public policy research project based in Nairobi, celebrated the Day with the following activities:

  • a press release on the second National Innovation Week;
  • a radio interview on the contribution of copyright-related industries to Kenya's economy;
  • a memorandum on the preparation of the National Environmental Policy;
  • special production of the UEI newsletter, focusing on the distribution during National Innovation Week of booklets on intellectual property;
  • a television appearance on one of the morning talk shows to discuss the subject of intellectual property.


Kyrgyzstan

World IP Day will be celebrated for the eighth time, as well as the National IP Day of the Kyrgyz Republic. This year is also the 15th anniversary of the foundation of the IP system in the country. Celebration will be in the form of a scientific Conference on this year’s theme of respect for innovation. Participants will be from Government, the UNDP, Missions and various international organizations. During the Conference it is planned to announce the winners of WIPO awards for achievements in the field of IP.


Lithuania

The Day will be celebrated as follows:

  • April 25 - "Open Day" at the State Patent Bureau of the Republic of Lithuania, to which all who are interested in industrial property are invited.
  • April 25 - Conference for the celebration of World Intellectual Property Day and the 80th Anniversary of the First Lithuanian Patent Law. The Conference is organized by the State Patent Bureau and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University.
  • April 25 - Opening of an exhibition on the theme “The 80th Anniversary of the First Lithuanian Patent Law.”

The State Patent Bureau also hopes to present, during these celebrations, one WIPO trophy for innovative enterprise, one WIPO award for a distinguished inventor and two WIPO creativity awards, one for a distinguished author and another for a performer.


Lithuania - Ministry of Culture

To celebrate the Day, the Ministry of Culture organized on its premises, on April 24, a Students' Conference on Copyright and Related Rights, in cooperation with the Faculties of Law of the University of Vilnius and of the Mykolas Romeris University and with the Lithuanian Neighboring Rights Association. During the Conference, presentations were made by law students who had won a Competition for the best articles written on copyright and related rights. It was the first time the Ministry had organized this Competition with the above-mentioned partners.

In addition, the Ministry's website displayed the Day's message and theme for this year.


Luxembourg

The Ministry of the Economy and External Trade will celebrate the Day as follows:

  • a Conference on April 25 on the theme of the economic value of IPRs, inaugurated by the Minister, with the aim of raising public awareness of the importance of protection, of the fostering of innovation and of creation in general;
  • availability of persons active in the field of IP in the country to participants and visitors at the Conference, to keep them informed about the various aspects of IP;
  • a Workshop on April 25 for professionals in the IP field, on the theme of the London Agreement, which is to come into effect on May 1.

Further information can be found at the site: http://www.entreprises.public.lu/agenda/2008/04/25_dpi/index.php.


Malaysia

From April 24-27, the celebration will be at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, on the theme, "Intellectual Property - Driving the Nation's Competitiveness," to show how a capacity to innovate is vital to a country's competitiveness. This will include:

  • an exhibition with space for 200 booths for exhibitors, at which they can showcase their IP assets and share their experience on how these have increased their competitiveness;
  • side events on the margins of the exhibition, such as meetings, seminars and workshops for a wider audience, to enhance knowledge of business know-how.

An award ceremony will take place on April 24, attended by the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, where there will be speakers, and where awards will be given for the categories of young inventor, industrial design, individuals and organizations. This will be followed by a visit to the exhibition and a press conference.


Mexico - Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada

To celebrate the Day, the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), will be organizing a conference in Ensenada, Baja California, on April 25. Among the themes and main speakers of the conference will be:

  • a welcome speech by the Chief of the Special Projects and IP Department of CICESE;
  • a speech by the Director General of the Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI);
  • a talk on experiences with research centers and universities in the development of technological innovation projects, by a Research Director of a corporation;
  • a talk on the best practices in IP management, and their impact on and benefits for development;
  • a talk on experience in licensing and commercialization, from University to the business sector, by a representative of the William J. Von Liebig Center.

There will also be question and answer sessions.


Mexico - Mexican Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property

The Asociación Mexicana para la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (AMPPI), through the Comité de Trabajo de Asuntos Contenciosos, invited its members, students and the general public to celebrate the Day by registering for and attending a Round Table on April 24. The subject of discussion was “Precedentes en Materia de Propiedad Intelectual” (Precedents in the field of Intellectual Property), with speakers who are experts in IP.


Mexico - Monterrey

In celebration of the Day, the Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI), the Instituto Nacional del Derecho de Autor (INDAUTOR), the Mexican Bar Association, the Asociación Mexicana para la Protección a la Propiedad Intelectual (AMPPI) and the University of Monterrey will be hosting a seminar on the theme “El Respeto a Los Derechos de Propiedad Intelectual” (Respect for IPRs). The seminar will take place on April 22 at the Centro CONVEX, Monterrey. Entry is free of charge, but requires prior enrolment.

The program can be found at: http://www.impi.gob.mx - Enrolment with Fabiola Jiménez at: fjimenez@impi.gob.mx


Mexico - University of Colima

The University of Colima celebrated the Day by inviting public participation in a Round Table on Intellectual Property and Customs Services, held on April 25 at the Centro de Tecnología Educativa. This event also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Law at the University.

The program included presentations by experts on IP matters relating to customs and foreign trade, the debate on piracy and reform of IP provisions relating to the penal code and to customs.


Mexico - UNIVER Zacatecas

To celebrate the Day, the UNIVER Zacatecas has organized an event to disseminate IP culture, inviting governmental personalities, persons from the Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI) and from the office of the Secretary of State for Education and Culture, as well as persons from the business community and students. Activities include:

  • a panel composed of specialists from the regional office of IMPI in León and Professor Yordanka Masó Dominico, Director General of the law firm Lex Securus in Zacatecas;
  • an exhibition on the premises of the University of some of the Zacatecan items protected by certain categories of IP.


Moldova

The State Agency on Intellectual Property of the Republic of Moldova (AGEPI) has planned to celebrate the Day as follows:

  • The message of WIPO's Director General and other WIPO information will be translated into the Romanian language and will be published in the AGEPI magazines and local newspapers. An announcement of the ongoing and forthcoming events dedicated to the World Intellectual Property Day will be published on the AGEPI website: www.agepi.md. A press communiqué "World Intellectual Property Day - at its eighth celebration" is to be widely disseminated.
  • Thematic exhibitions will be held in the public libraries of Moldova for the occasion of the Day (April). There will be participation in a book exhibition "Trademarks and their Role in the Economy" in the context of "The Bibliographic Year 2008", organized by the Moldovan Librarians' Association, in cooperation with the National Library of Moldova (March).
  • A Competition, "The Public Library - a Partner in promoting IP," is to be organized in collaboration with the Association of Bibliographers of Moldova (April 24).
  • Specialized meetings on IP issues will be held for students of the Schools "Prometeu," "Natalia Dadiani," "Mircea Eliade," "Gheorghe Asachi" and "Spiru Haret" from Chisinau, with the participation of remarkable inventors of the Republic of Moldova (April).
  • Competitions of drawings on the themes "Stop Piracy" and "The Inventions of My Country" will be launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Youth of the Republic of Moldova, designed for students of Moldovan Lyceums and Gymnasiums. (March).
  • The fourth competition for the "Invention of the Year" will be organized.
  • Specialized seminars addressing intellectual property topics for different categories of users of the IP system will be organized. These will be for:
    • higher educational institutions: The Co-operative Commercial University of Moldova, the Slavonic University of Moldova, and the Technical University of Moldova;
    • economically active stakeholders, in the context of an International Exhibition, "Consum Info", an International Exhibition, "Small Business 2008" and "Small- and Medium- sized Enterprises", forums held in Chisinau in the period February-March.
  • A Subregional Symposium on IP education and training will be held, in cooperation with WIPO and the Ministry of Education and Youth of the Republic of Moldova, with the participation of WIPO Academy lecturers and representatives from the Patent Offices of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, the Russian Federation, and the Eurasian Patent Office (March 26-28).
  • The participation of Moldovan inventors was facilitated in the International Exhibition of Invention, New Techniques and Products in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • AGEPI will hold on its premises the annual symposium, "AGEPI Readings-2008" (April 15 to 16, 2008).
  • A press conference on the occasion of the Day is to be organized in April, at the AGEPI, for mass media and national representatives in the audiovisual field.
  • A Talk Show on the occasion of the Day, with the participation of AGEPI representatives will be televised on the National TV Channel in April.
  • An official ceremony dedicated to the Day will be held on April 25, in the AGEPI Conference Hall.


Morocco - Bureau Marocain du droit d'auteur (BMDA)

The Moroccan Copyright Office (known as the BMDA) has organized, together with the Industrial Property Office (Office marocain de la propriété industrielle et commerciale or OMPIC), the tour of a caravan to provide information on and promote awareness of intellectual property, to several cities in the country. The caravan will start out on April 26 in Tangiers with a celebration of the Day, moving on to Fez, Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir and Laayoune, and will end its tour on June 30. Different aspects of IP will be on the program at each place, including handicrafts, the audiovisual arts, innovation techniques and the promotion of research, protection of local products and of geographical indications, as well as genetic resources, traditional know-how and folklore.


Myanmar

The World Economic Journal, the first journal on economics and intellectual property in Myanmar, will be hosting an event to celebrate the Day as follows:

Date: April 26
Time: 10:00 AM (Myanmar Standard Time)
Place: Myanmar Info Tech (Hlaing University Campus)
Main Organizer: World Economic Journal
Type of Event: Discussions about and talks on awareness of IP


New Zealand - Baldwins Intellectual Property Firm

To mark the Day, Baldwins will be holding two events, each offering a presentation by the firm, panel discussions and audience questions on IP, as well as refreshments:

  • Wellington: April 22, at the Icon Room, Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa, 5-8 p.m.
  • Auckland: April 23, at the Sky City Convention Center, 5-8 p.m.

The events are free of charge, but registration is required at: events@baldwins.com or by telephone: (09) 359 7716.


Nicaragua

To celebrate the Day, an Intellectual Fair (Feria Intelectual) was held on April 26 at the Palacio de la Cultura in Managua. Participants were drawn from Universities with technological projects, producers of phonograms, the Nicaraguan Writers’ Center (Centro Nicaragüense de Escritores), small enterprises with new marks on the market and officials of the Registry of IP.

On the preceding day, April 25, the Day was celebrated with a working lunch at which IP lawyers and officials of the national IP Registry were present.


Norway

The Norwegian Industrial Property Office celebrated the day with a seminar for the business sector, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises. The focus was on the use of patent, trademark and design rights in general, and the problem of counterfeiting in particular.

Issues included in the program were:

  • Microsoft's strategy concerning industrial property rights;
  • the significance of industrial property rights for a young company such as Drink Safe;
  • the fight against counterfeiting - the Norwegian Customs and Excise, and certain companies.


Oman, Sultanate of

The Day was celebrated in the Sultanate of Oman as follows:

  • presentation of a working paper on IP prepared by the IP Department of the University of Sultan Kabous, with special emphasis on its role in promoting creativity and innovation (April 7);
  • an interview with the Director of the governmental IP Department broadcast on the local media;
  • publication of articles in the press in cooperation with the Ministry of Information;
  • a lecture at a secondary school (level: grade 11) organized by the governmental IP Department.


Pakistan - Ali & Associates Legal Firm

Ali & Associates, a legal firm specializing in IP in Karachi, will be organizing a walk in Karachi on April 26 to celebrate the Day. Clients of the firm and artists will be invited to join in, and the event will include a musical program and media coverage to promote the Day.


Pakistan - Forman Christian College

A special lecture is to be delivered on April 26, on WIPO, its functions and importance, by a member of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A poster competition will also be organized, and the best posters will be displayed all over the campus.


Pakistan - Pakistan Industrial and Intellectual Property Rights Association (PIPRA)

The Pakistan Industrial and Intellectual Property Rights Association (PIPRA) will be celebrating the Day with a dinner, followed by a musical program, on April 25, at the Hotel Avari Towers, Karachi. The chief guest will be the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court.


Panama

In celebration of the Day, a first Congress on IP is to take place for Universities, Institutes and Research Centers, on April 22 and 23. Some 280 participants are expected, among them managers, academics, and researchers from more than 15 research centers, 10 institutes and 25 public and private universities in Panama. The objective is to improve the culture and awareness of IP, so that a better system of implementation of IP in these institutions can be achieved.


Philippines

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines) is celebrating the Day with a series of activities in April under its copyright and outreach programs.

I. Copyright program activities:

  • A World of Pun, a multimedia art exhibition of three senior students of the Asia Pacific College, which opened on April 4 as a prelude to the celebration at the Alab Art Space, with a collection of 21 art pieces, rendered in both traditional and digital media, juxtaposing signs and symbols with imagery to decode meaning in word play.
  • Evolution of an Artist: Quest for Identity, an art exhibition of seven young visual artists, to be opened on April 25 at the Innovation Area, with a noted visual artist as guest of honor.
  • Summer Art Workshop, hosted by the IP Office from April 24-25 for IP Philippines employees and their children: it will be divided into two groups--the young children’s art workshop for ages 10 and below and the young adults' art workshop for ages 11 and above, from which select pieces will be exhibited at the Alab Art Space in June in celebration of the 11th anniversary of the Office.
  • World Book and Copyright Day, in partnership with the National Book Development Board (NBDB), in which IP Philippines will conduct a basic copyright seminar for participants at the Filipinas Heritage Library in Ayala Avenue on April 23.

II. Outreach program activities:

  • Basic Orientation Seminar (BOS), An Introduction to Intellectual Property, conducted by the Office for the Motorcycle Development Program Participants’ Association (MDPPA) on April 4. It is planned to conduct similar seminars for some 60 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on April 22 and for close to 30 universities on April 23 to 24, all in the Bataan province, Central Luzon Region.
  • Best Practices Forum on Intellectual Property Rights, in partnership with BusinessWorld, the leading business newspaper in the Philippines, in which office representatives will discuss topics related to IP protection of trademarks, copyright and trade secrets.
  • A Free IP Clinic offered by the office through its Customer Service on April 21, 23 and 25, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, with inquiries from the public being answered by trademark examiners, patent examiners, and legal officers from IP Philippines and other IP organizations.
  • Manila F.A.M.E. International Show, with the participation of the Office, featuring an information booth, displaying some of Asia's best designs, from April 15-18 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia. Its organization is by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotions agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).


Poland

To celebrate the Day, the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland organized a Conference on the theme, “How to counteract intellectual piracy,” which was held on April 25. This was in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Association of Authors (ZAiKS) and the Anti-Piracy Coalition, which includes a few organizations working in the field of authors' rights.

The main objective of the Conference was to establish an open forum for the exchange of experiences and opinions on the standard of protection of the rights of authors in Poland, as well as dissemination of knowledge on all available ways of counteracting IP infringements. This becomes increasingly important in an age of dynamic new technologies.

During the Conference the participants were given a set of promotional materials, including the governmental “Report on the Observance of Copyrights and Related Rights” and “A Strategy on the Actions Concerning the Protection of Copyrights and Related Rights 2008-2010,” dated April 21, 2008.

The Conference was supplemented by:

  • an exhibition of the National Library illustrating the history of crucial inventions in the field of sound recording, entitled “120 years of the gramophone disc;”
  • an exhibition organized by the General Headquarters of the Police, entitled “Fight against piracy.”


Russian Federation - U.S. Embassy, Moscow

To celebrate the Day, the U.S. Embassy's IPR Attaché will be hosting in Moscow a discussion on the theme "Intellectual Property: Copying Is Not the Highest Form of Flattery," on April 25.


Rwanda

Celebrating the Day for the third time, the Government of Rwanda plans to hold a National Anti-Piracy and Counterfeiting Workshop in Kigali, from April 23-25. It will be for some 35 officials involved in IPRs, particularly in enforcement activities, such as legislators, customs and police officers, magistrates and IP owners. The speakers will be drawn from local specialists in IPRs and from foreign specialists in enforcement and collective management. The seminar will focus on:

  • the protection of IPRs;
  • forms of piracy and counterfeiting;
  • mechanisms for detecting and evaluating piracy and counterfeiting;
  • investigation of piracy and counterfeiting;
  • prevention and reduction of piracy and counterfeiting.


Singapore

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) celebrated its 7th World IP Day with a half-day public seminar called "Cyber-Dangers: Practise Safe Downloading Parents’ Seminar 2008". The aim was to equip parents and educators with the necessary knowledge to protect themselves and their children against Internet risks and to bring to their attention the perils of online piracy.

A public showcase of related material and resources were made available for members of the public to view, from which they could also collect informative materials. At the same time, their children participated in a program which brought them to the Singapore Science Centre to learn about basic IP in an enjoyable and interactive manner. Through various innovative activities, they were taught how to create their own IP, so that they could appreciate the importance of respecting the IP rights of others.

More information can be found on www.ipos.gov.sg.


Spain

The Subdirectorate General of IP within the Spanish Ministry of Culture will celebrate the Day as follows:

  • display of banners carrying the slogan “Against Piracy: Defend Your Culture” (Contra la piratería: defiende tu cultura) at the entrance to the Ministry of Culture and in the calles Goya and Alcalá in Madrid;
  • distribution of 25,000 book marks carrying the same slogan to the 170 shops of the Opencor chain in the whole of Spain (open 365 days of the year);
  • the placing on the website of the Ministry of Culture of a WIPO publication on artistic creation and copyright;
  • the use of the distinctive logo for “Against Piracy: Defend Your Culture” on the web pages of the ministries responsible for education and culture and of the competent bodies in the regions.


Spain - Oficina Española de Patentes y Marcas (OEPM)

The Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM) will celebrate the Day with the following activities:

  • display of the WIPO poster and distribution of the WIPO bookmarks and postcards in the Fair, "Madrid Is Science," sponsored by the OEPM, which will take place from April 24-27 in order to stimulate interest in science and technology, particularly amongst children and young people. The OEPM will also participate in this Fair by running a stand jointly with the Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria (Institute of Secondary Education), at which will feature various activities and games explaining industrial property, notably a game about patents, marks and designs, which can be found on the web page http://www.oepm.es. On April 26, visitors to the stand will be given materials and be kept informed on the significance of the Day;
  • display of the above-mentioned WIPO products in the entrance hall of OEPM’s headquarters on April 25, for the benefit of staff and visitors;
  • publication on its web page of an announcement about the celebration of the Day, of the message of WIPO’s Director General, as well as of all WIPO products (video, poster, postcards and bookmarks) which can be downloaded.


Spain - Universities of Ramón Llull (Barcelona) and Carlos III (Madrid)

To celebrate the Day, these two Universities organized a study session on April 25, concurrently at Barcelona and Madrid, using a video link. Presentations were made by academics, lawyers and information professionals, with special emphasis on the evolution of IP in a world of new technologies.


Spain - University of Valencia

To celebrate the Day, the Law Faculty of the University of Valencia has organized an event on May 7, on the theme, “Present-day challenges to copyright for the protection of audiovisual works.” It will be held in the Salón de Grados del Departamento de Derecho Internacional.


Sudan

The celebration of the Day will take place at the Office of the Registrar of IP on April 27, in the presence of the State Minister and the Under Secretary of the Ministry of Justice. Those invited are national radio and television journalists, as well as registered IP agents. At the opening ceremony the website of the Office will be launched.


Syria

To celebrate the Day, the Syrian Patent Office will be distributing 200 postcards concerning the Day, as well as organizing a one-day workshop in cooperation with the University of Damascus.


The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - The State Office of Industrial Property

On the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day, April 26, and of the anniversary of the establishment of the Coordinative Body for Intellectual Property, the State Office of Industrial Property has organized several activities.

Counterfeit and pirated goods infringing intellectual property rights will be destroyed. Those goods were seized during joint actions of the Coordinative Body for Intellectual Property and other competent institutions. After the destruction of these goods, a ceremony dedicated to the Day will be held. During the ceremony the activities of the Coordinative Body for Intellectual Property will be presented.

These events are considered an affirmation of the system of protection of intellectual property rights and a contribution to increasing awareness of the importance of protection and enforcement of IP rights in the country.


Trinidad and Tobago

The Day will be celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago with the following activities:

  • the broadcast of the IP Day message of the Minister of Legal Affairs on radio and television, and its publication as well as that of WIPO’s Director General in all daily newspapers on April 26;
  • the presentation on April 25 of instruments of appointment to members of two Cabinet-appointed committees, one to deal with the regularization of the video and DVD industry in the country, and another to advise the Government on effective enforcement and the establishment of an enforcement unit to deal with IP;
  • still displays of IP materials, including the messages of the Minister of Legal Affairs and of the Director General of WIPO, at the University of the West Indies, the University of Trinidad and Tobago, the National Library and Information System Authority and the Cipriani College of Labour and Cooperative Studies.


Tunisia - INNORPI

The Institut National de la Normalisation et de la Propriété Industrielle (INNORPI), in cooperation with the French Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI), is organizing an itinerant seminar in Tunis and in the South of the country at Sfax, on the theme, "Innovation and Industrial Property for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises and for Research Bodies." Participants will be innovative enterprises of this type, research centers and individual innovators, and the program will cover two main topics:

  • the promotion of innovation in such enterprises and in research bodies;
  • evaluation of the industrial property strategy of such enterprises and research bodies.


Turkey

İstanbul Bilgi University Intellectual Property Law Research Center organized a conference on the subject of amendments to Turkish copyright law regarding criminal sanctions for piracy and breach of copyright. From the Turkish Ministry of Culture, the General Director of Copyright and Cinema supported the conference by contributing an opening speech. See http://bilfim.bilgi.edu.tr/.

The Ministry of Culture organized a competition with the theme of "Respect to Creation and Creative Effort". The winner of this competition was given an award at a ceremony organized by the Ministry of Culture on World IP Day. At the same event, The Ministry of Culture presented "Culture and Arts Service Awards" to respected Turkish artists.


Turkey - Turkish Patent Institute (TPI)

The Turkish Patent Institute (TPI) is organizing an exhibition for primary school students on the theme “Now it is Thinking Time,” on April 25, 2008, in the context of World IP Day. In Turkey primary schools have a course in their curricula called “Technology and Design,” in which children bring forward their ideas. They can publish their projects on TPI's new website. TPI is very keen to promote and support the innovative ideas of children, and this occasion will include:

  • an opening speech by a representative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;
  • promotion of the new site of the TPI for Technology and Design students: http://egitim.tpe.gov.tr;
  • the opening of an exhibition of the projects of primary school students.


Ukraine

To celebrate the Day the following activities are planned:

  • a scientific and practical conference on the theme "The Current Status and Development Prospects of the State System of Intellectual Property Legal Protection," to be held in the capital city and regions of Ukraine;
  • the manufacture and distribution of souvenirs and promotional materials for the Day;
  • an exhibition on the theme of the creation of the state system of intellectual property legal protection in Ukraine, and the first Ukrainian patent in particular;
  • an awards ceremony for the winners of the all-Ukrainian contest "Invention 2007";
  • an awards ceremony for the best employees of the State system of intellectual property legal protection.


United Kingdom - Burness LLP

To celebrate the Day, Burness LLP is hosting a lunchtime seminar in their Edinburgh office in Scotland on April 25, which will focus on the theme "Celebrating Innovation and Promoting Respect for IP".

Speaking at the seminar are David Goodbrand, IP & Technology Partner and Unit Head at Burness LLP, Colin Hulme, IP & Technology/Dispute Resolution Partner at Burness LLP and Derek Waddell, Director of Research Services and Commercialistation at the University of Edinburgh.

The address for more information and to register is: http://www.burness.co.uk/seminars/viewseminar.asp?intEventID=61


United Kingdom - Intellectual Property Office (UK - IPO)

To celebrate the Day on Friday April 25, the UK Intellectual Property Office is:

  • hosting an Intellectual Property Celebration in London for IP stakeholders, where attendance is by invitation only;
  • organizing workshops, to be attended by invitation only, for primary and secondary school children, focusing on celebrating innovation and promoting respect for intellectual property, which includes a visit from Oscar winners Wallace and Gromit, who are fronting the UK-IPO's primary school educational campaign, Cracking Ideas: http://www.crackingideas.com/;
  • making available its staff to answer any questions asked about IP in a live web chatroom;
  • publishing a special edition, “World IP Day, IP Insight E-Newsletter”.


United Kingdom - The Law Society of Scotland and The Faculty of Advocates

For April 25, the In-House Lawyers Group of the Law Society of Scotland and The Faculty of Advocates have organized a lunchtime World Intellectual Property Day Conference in Edinburgh, on "Why Scotland should value its innovation and respect its IP", with speakers from the Scottish bar and Scotch Whisky Association. More information can be found at: http://www.lawscot.org.uk/Members_Information/inhouse/Event.aspx?e=243 or at http://www.lawscot.co.uk/Members_Information/Law_Reform_News_Issues/world_ip_day.aspx.


United Kingdom - McGrigors LLP

McGrigors LLP is hosting a discussion dinner in Edinburgh, Scotland, to celebrate the Day. The dinner will incorporate a debate challenging Scotland's suitability and capability to be a leader in the creation and commercialization of IP and innovative technology.


United Kingdom - "Own-It" Enterprise

To mark the Day, Own-It, an IP advisory service in London, in conjunction with the Soho Theatre and Tara Arts, has organized a panel discussion on April 22 to discuss the legal issues surrounding the use of a true story in theatre. Verbatim theatre and ‘real-life' stories are more popular than ever, but intellectual property rights, copyright, privacy and defamation laws can be a minefield. Who owns what is often complex, leaving many good stories and ideas mired in legal battles before they have begun to be used.

Further information can be found at: http://www.own-it.org/events/.


United Kingdom - Pinsent Masons LLP Legal Firm

To mark the Day, the international law firm Pinsent Masons LLP is running a photography competition on the theme of Innovation for schoolchildren. See: www.out-law.com/page-7870.


United States of America - Franklin Pierce Law Center

Franklin Pierce Law Center will celebrate the Day with a special reception for participants in Pierce Law's 10th Comprehensive Patent Cooperation Treaty Seminar, to be held on Friday April 25, at the Courtyard Marriott in Concord, beginning at 5 PM.

A proclamation from New Hampshire Governor John Lynch will be presented, which emphasizes the importance of IP and proclaims April 26 IP Day in New Hampshire.


United States of America - George Washington University Law School

The Creative and Innovative Economy Center (CIEC) of the George Washington University Law School is organizing three events in three cities to celebrate the Day:

  • New York City, on April 16, at the United Nations, from 1-3 p.m., in cooperation with WIPO - Replies are requested at the address given below, by April 2
  • Washington D.C., on April 21, at the Rayburn Building, Capitol Hill, from 5.30-7.30 p.m. - Replies are requested at the address given below, by April 14
  • Los Angeles, on April 24, at the Paley Center, 465 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA, from 5-8.30 p.m. - Replies are requested at the address given below by April 10.

The address to which all replies should be sent is: CIEC@gwu.edu.

These events continue to reach out to a wider audience to enhance public awareness of IP. More information can be found at: http://www.law.gwu.edu/Academics/CIEC/Events/Upcoming+Events.htm.


United States of America - Institute for Policy Innovation

The Institute for Policy Innovation will be hosting its third annual policy forum in honor of the Day on Thursday, April 24 in Washington D.C. The event will take place at the Reserve Officers Association Headquarters, Minuteman Memorial Building, located at One Constitution Ave NE in Washington DC, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Discussion panels will debate topics including the following:

  • Digital Technologies: Emerging Challenges, Evolving Strategies
  • Social and Economic Benefits of IP: Who Wins? Who Loses?
  • The Intellectual Property Marketplace: The Role of IP Valuation and Technological Transfer
  • Combating Dangerous Counterfeits: How Countries Are Policing Their Borders

A complimentary lunch will be provided. Those who wish to register for the event may RSVP to Erin Humiston at erin@ipi.org or call (972) 874-5139. More details can be found on the IPI website at www.ipi.org.


Uzbekistan - Agency for Copyright

To celebrate the Day, the Uzbek Republican Agency for Copyright has organized the following:

  • a round table on "the improvement of legislation in intellectual property", with the participation of the State Patent Office, the Committee for Science, Education, Culture and Sports of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis (Parliament) and representatives of the massmedia (April);
  • a scientific conference on the theme "Matters of using the new methods of protection of copyright and related rights" at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, and distribution of the WIPO brochures about copyright to the participants of the conference (April 23);
  • preparation of a book consisting of the national legislation and the international documents on copyright (April);
  • preparation of different materials for the mass media devoted to the Day (April-May);
  • preparation of booklets about copyright (April-May);
  • a new design and structure for the official web-site (www.uzraap.uz) of the Uzbek Republican Agency for Copyright (April).


Uzbekistan - State Patent Office

To celebrate the Day, the State Patent Office has organized the following activities:

  • a seminar on the theme, "The Development of Legislation in the Field of Intellectual Property," in the form of a round table discussion, with the participation of specialists from the Committee dealing with science, education, culture and sport of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis (April-May);
  • a competition for school students in the field of inventive creativity, at the Center of Technical Creativity (April 25-27);
  • publication of booklets on IP subjects (April);
  • a competition for students' research into IP issues (June);
  • a seminar and the screening of a film on IP for the benefit of young people, at the State Children's Library (April-May);
  • regional seminars in various parts of the country on different aspects of intellectual property (March-May);
  • a seminar on the legal protection of IP and its role in developing innovation (April 25-26);
  • awards ceremony for the best creators and inventors of 2007 (April 25);
  • organization and preparation of materials for coverage by the mass media (March-June).


Viet Nam

To celebrate the Day, the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam (NOIP), in cooperation with relevant agencies, has organized a number of activities nationwide, as follows:

  • publication of 30 top trademarks for 30 selected businesses participating in the National Trademark Programme, with a ceremony held to mark the Day for Vietnamese Trademarks on April 20;
  • three one-day workshops on commercialization of IPRs for University researchers and students in the North, Middle and South of Vietnam;
  • talks on various aspects of IPRs with students at five different universities;
  • a campaign for the dissemination of information on IPRs, with the aim of showing to the public the necessity and importance of intellectual property right protection;
  • a program on IP to be broadcast nationwide on the VTV1 Channel on April 26;
  • a documentary film on "Science and Life" to be broadcast on the VTV 1 Channel on April 26;
  • the dissemination of the message from WIPO’s Director General, and of printed materials (for instance, posters) related to the Day, and the publication of WIPO Guidelines for SMEs in Vietnamese, such as: Making a Mark, Looking Good, Inventing the Future and Creating Expression;
  • an evening gala for the conduct of an innovation competition and for a ceremony to award WIPO Prizes for the Best Inventions, Best Young Inventors, and Best Female Inventors on April 26;
  • a meeting to celebrate the Day, at the NOIP premises on the evening of April 26.


Zambia

The Zambia Police Intellectual Property Unit (IPU), in conjunction with the newly formed Zambia Intellectual Property Protection Association (ZIPPA) will celebrate the Day by assembling at Police Force Headquarters' conference room, where the WIPO Director General’s message will be read, and will be followed by a speech from ZIPPA’s Chairman.

This will be followed by presentantions in IP enforcement tactics, in order to equip the officers to counter IP infringements. At the same time a program will be drawn up to train all Zambia Police Commanding Officers in IP, with emphasis on the impact of piracy and counterfeiting on the national economy, which will take place on May 5. The aim is to bring top enforcement management on board. Resource persons will be drawn from Cycorp-Zambia, British American Tobacco-London, Microsoft-East, Central and Southern Africa and Sounds Investments-Zambia.

The celebration of the Day in Zambia will include the following activities:

  • a national symposium on intellectual property, April 23-25;
  • a school quiz live on national televison, April 25;
  • a Forum on intellectual property, April 25;
  • a launch of the celebration on the eve of the Day by a Minister on national television, April 25;
  • a march past by major stakeholders, followed by an address by a Minister on the Day, with marchers including Zambia Police, artists, inventors and innovators, business people, secondary schools, media organisations, JAPIZ, ZAMCOPS, and the National Arts Council.


Zimbabwe - African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)

ARIPO has organized activities in Harare around this year’s theme of celebrating innovation and respecting IP. These include a technology fair and an exhibition of arts and crafts. A program was offered on the Day, featuring a lecture on the socio-economic importance of IP, a statement by the President of the Inventors’ Association, the presentation of awards and prizes to participants in the technology fair, the music of African artistes and an exhibition of African artists.