WIPO’s First Orientation Session for Diplomats
October 2, 2023
Over 75 diplomats and representatives from Permanent Missions to the United Nations, World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland attended WIPO's first Orientation Session for Diplomats on September 25 and 26, 2023.
What did the session cover?
The session was delivered in hybrid format, and offered diplomats the unique opportunity to gain first-hand information from senior management on all aspects related to WIPO, including:
- WIPO's organizational structure and in-house contact points across sectors and work areas;
- WIPO Assemblies and decision making bodies;
- WIPO priorities and the Program of Work and Budget for 2024 and 2025;
- Human resource management; and
- Ongoing and new projects.
The inaugural session was informal and prioritized opportunities for discussion about key topics of interest to the diplomatic community.
What are Geneva's diplomats saying?
"The Orientation Session for Diplomats is absolutely necessary and I am particularly grateful for it. WIPO issues are very technical, so it is usually difficult to figure things out as you go. I would definitely recommend this training program to others and encourage WIPO to do this more frequently – maybe every three or four months."
— Ms. Audrey Akweley Yeboawaa Neequaye, First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Ghana to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
"The WIPO Orientation Session for Diplomats will surely enable us to navigate the intricate world of diplomacy with confidence and purpose."
— Mr. Passang Dorji, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
"Congratulations to WIPO for launching these Orientation Sessions for Diplomats. I have found the information provided very useful. I would like to acknowledge the cooperative and supportive attitude that has been shown. I would like to thank the WIPO Academy in particular for their enthusiasm and for organizing the session."
— Ms. Olga Lozano Ferro, Minister-Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Colombia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
"The session was very useful and all the areas covered were very interesting! I took a lot of notes about the Regional and National Development Sector, the Brands and Designs Sector, the Copyright and Creative Industries Sector, and the Infrastructure and Platforms Sector in particular. In a nutshell, at this moment I believe these areas are more vital to Angola as it starts to develop in the field of intellectual property (IP)."
— Mr. Horys de Rosa Pedro Xavier, Third Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Angola to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva