Geneva, December 3 to 5, 2014
Following up on the first Practical Workshop that took place in December 2013, a Practical Workshop for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (collectively referred to for ease of reference as “traditional knowledge”), was organized by WIPO in Geneva, from December 3 to 5, 2014.
Objectives
The objectives of the Practical Workshop were:
- impart basic knowledge of the main principles of the IP system from a traditional knowledge (TK) perspective, emphasizing both the potential value that IP could bring in support of TK protection and the gaps within the IP system that might need to be filled;
- explain the rationale, objectives and methodology of the negotiations that are taking place in the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore;
- raise awareness of the available IP tools and WIPO materials that are relevant to the protection of TK.
Who may attend
The Workshop included about fourteen participants from each of the 7 geo-cultural regions recognized by the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, who were selected based on the following criteria:
- be an active member of an Indigenous Peoples’ organization/NGO or local community;
- be nominated in writing by his/her Indigenous Peoples’ organization/NGO or community;
- have suitable experience in international meetings and processes;
- be able to speak either English, Spanish, French or Russian;
- have motivated his/her interest in participating in the Practical Workshop; and,
- have formulated his/her readiness to share information gathered and experiences gained at the Workshop with members of his/her own People or community and other Indigenous Peoples and local communities afterwards.