Hundreds of delegates from WIPO’s 193 Member States joined the July 14-22 WIPO Assemblies to negotiate the future of the global intellectual property (IP) ecosystem and WIPO’s activities in promoting the economic, social and cultural development of all countries.
The delegates also benefited from a range of information sharing and cultural activities.
Video: WIPO Assemblies in images
WIPO member states today approved the convening of diplomatic conferences for two proposed international agreements: one pertaining to the protection of designs across borders and a pact related to intellectual property (IP), genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources.
Peru together with WIPO hosted an exhibition entitled “Peru, Flavor and Culture” followed by a cultural performance and a reception (photos on Flickr).
Across the globe, businesses need access to capital but securing financing remains challenging for many firms. Governments and businesses are experimenting with ways to improve the financing outlook for intangible intensive companies - and representatives from Jamaica, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom shared their experiences.
In a short video, Mr. Dawda A. Jallow, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of The Gambia talks about how intellectual property is central to his country’s innovation ecosystem and why attending the WIPO General Assembly is important.
International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) and WIPO hosted a meeting on “Advancing Innovative Medicines Discovery in Africa.”
The Islamic Republic of Iran and WIPO hosted an exhibition entitled “Persian Carpet Narrator of Iranian Art and Culture,” together with a cultural display (photos on Flickr).
The French Patent and Trademark Office (INPI) and WIPO held an experience-sharing session on the role of IP in supporting innovation ecosystems.
WIPO brought together delegates to provide feedback on its work to date in the fast moving technology space of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and to hear their view about the future direction of WIPO’s work and suggestions for topics for the WIPO Conversation on IP and Frontier Technologies. The event was followed by more than 400 participants with lively discussion and feedback.
During a panel discussion, the World Blind Union and advocates for people who are print disabled from Lesotho, Mexico and Viet Nam, called on those contracting parties of the Marrakesh Treaty that have not yet implemented its provisions in national law to do so.
Senator Payne-Hyman, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Public Safety, and Labor, Antigua and Barbuda speaks about the importance of intellectual property for her country in particular and developing countries in general. In this short video, she cites examples of creators and innovators in Antigua and Barbuda who have successful used IP to grow their business.
Mr. Anurag Jain, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India talks about the importance of attending the WIPO General Assembly as it provides an opportunity to exchange experiences with other countries. In this short video he also describes an innovation he spearheaded that transformed the lives of millions of Indians.
Small and medium-sized enterprises from China, Japan, the Netherlands and Singapore are the first-ever winners of WIPO’s new Global Awards program, which recognizes exceptional enterprises and individuals using intellectual property (IP) to make a positive impact at home and abroad (photos on Flickr).
Peru joined four WIPO classification treaties - the Locarno, Nice, Strasbourg and Vienna agreements - as well as the Geneva Act of WIPO's Lisbon Agreement (photo on Flickr).
Mexico hosted a cultural performance and a display showing how IP can play a key role in the post COVID-19 pandemic recovery, particularly through the use of appellations of origin and geographical indications (photos on Flickr).
The Republic of Korea hosted an exhibition of the IP Panorama program designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises and developed jointly by the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the Korea Invention Promotion Association and WIPO (photos on Flickr).
Jamaica hosted delegates at WIPO’s Assemblies for a cultural display of Jamaican innovation, creativity and cuisine to mark the country’s 60th year of independence (photos on Flickr).
WIPO Director General Daren Tang opened the WIPO Assemblies with a call for delegates to keep working to transform intellectual property into a powerful catalyst for jobs, investments, business growth and economic development.
Cabo Verde Prime Minister José Ulisses Correia e Silva discusses innovation, creativity and national development.
WIPO Director General Daren Tang received Thailand's instrument of accession to the WIPO Copyright Treaty from Vuttikrai Leewiraphan, Director General of the Department of Intellectual Property of Thailand (DIP) (photo on Flickr).
WIPO Director General Daren Tang received the instrument of accession to the Budapest Treaty from Yasonna Laoly, Indonesia's Minister of Law and Human Rights (photo on Flickr).
