WIPO Hosts Exhibition by Chinese Child Artists
Geneva, September 24, 2004
Press Releases PR/2004/390
A unique exhibition, featuring the work of some 100 children from the Heilongjiang Province of China, will be inaugurated on September 27, 2004 in Geneva on the sidelines of the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) annual Assemblies in the presence of a number of the child artists. The centerpiece of the exhibit "Creativity by Children -A Chinese Experience," is an original 60 meter scroll which aligns some 100 paintings by the children. All the paintings depict a theme relating to intellectual property.
The scroll was completed in April 2001, to mark the first World Intellectual Property Day. The idea was launched by the intellectual property office of the Heilongjiang Province, which asked children from ages ranging from five to fifteen years to paint pictures that depicted respect for the sciences and touched on themes of innovation, invention and progress.
"WIPO welcomes the opportunity to host this exhibition revealing the talent of young Chinese artists and demonstrating awareness at an early age of intellectual property and its importance to human progress," said Dr. Kamil Idris, Director General of WIPO. "Respect for intellectual property and its appreciation as a valuable tool for scientific, cultural and social progress should begin at an early age and initiatives such as the one taken by the intellectual property office of the Heilongjiang Province are highly commendable and useful in this effort," the Director General added. He said that in addition to the high aesthetic quality of the 60-meter scroll, it is a concrete reminder of the power of creativity in spurring awareness of the importance of intellectual property.
Mr. Wang Jingchuan, Commissioner of State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO), said "to ensure a better and more prosperous future for mankind, it is important to increase awareness of scientific knowledge as well as the creative power of children. Critical to this effort is instilling respect for intellectual property." Echoing the words of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in a message to children on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day, Mr. Wang said sharpening the creative power of the Chinese people is of strategic importance to the nation. He told the children "You are the future of the motherland, the main actors on the stage of the new century. Therefore, the responsibilities of building China will some day fall on your shoulders." He said that developing a strong sense of creation is critical to this endeavor.
Five children, who took part in the Heilongjiang Province art project ranging in age from 8 to 11 years, will be present at the inauguration of the exhibition on September 27, 2004, which is also the opening day of the WIPO Assemblies. The children will be accompanied by officials from SIPO, as well as the Intellectual Property Office of the Heilongjiang Province.
The exhibition is open to the public from September 28 to October 8, 2004.
For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO:
- Tel: (+41 22) - 338 81 61 or 338 95 47
- Fax: (+41 22) - 338 88 10
- Email: publicinf@wipo.int.