BY WINNIE KENDY MUTURI
World intellectual property day is celebrated on April 26. The focus is to promote the importance of intellectual property rights and its role in encouraging innovation and creativity.
This day was first established in 2000 by the world intellectual property organization {WIPO}.
World intellectual property organization {WIPO} is a United Nations specialized agency that was established in 1967.
According to WIPO, intellectual property rights are legal protections for original works of authorship such as inventions, symbols, names, and images used in commerce and literary and artistic works.
The 2023 theme for world intellectual day is “accelerating innovation and Creativity: women and IP”. Whereby the primary objective of this year’s theme is to inspire women creators and entrepreneurs to have a “can-do’ attitude toward creativity and innovation.
This day is celebrated annually and WIPO announces a new theme every year. Last year, the theme for world intellectual property day was “Innovating for a better future: IP and Youth”.
The celebrations included the very first youth video for world intellectual property day. It cheered the young people to showcase their innovative ideas for a promising future.
Intellectual property rights encourage creativity and innovation by supplying the legal framework for protecting the rights of innovators, inventors, and also creators in the changing landscape.
It encourages individuals and organizations to invest in research and development and also to share their ideas with the world.
Hence, it leads to new and improved services and products which in the long run benefit society.
Over the years, world intellectual property day celebrations have increased. With the aid of technology and globalization, it has made it easier for ideas and works to be imitated and distributed without permission.