WIPO Announces New Indigenous Scholarships
June 14, 2017
On Monday 12 June, WIPO Assistant Director General Minelik Getahun announced that the Organization will establish two new scholarships for indigenous persons to attend the WIPO Academy’s Summer School program in Geneva or in one of the other locations in 2018 and 2019.
This announcement was made during a meeting with senior indigenous representatives currently participating in WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (the IGC).
Summer school
The WIPO Academy’s Summer School provides an opportunity to acquire deeper knowledge of intellectual property, including an understanding of how it can be used as a tool for economic, social, cultural and technological development. The new scholarships will be directed in particular to indigenous women and youth and they are an extension of WIPO’s existing capacity-building programs for indigenous peoples.
More details on how to apply for the scholarships will be provided on WIPO’s website.
IGC meeting
The IGC is currently holding its 34th session, which runs from June 12-16, 2017. Representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities are key stakeholders in these negotiations and there are several mechanisms in place to facilitate their effective participation.
The indigenous delegation comprised:
- James Anaya (Apache and Purepecha, United States of America and former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples)
- Anne Nuorgam (Sami, Finland and Member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues)
- Aroha Mead (Maori, New Zealand)
- Hamadi Ag Mohamed Abba (Touareg, Mali)
- Jennifer Tauli Corpuz (Kankana-ey Igorot People, Philippines)
- Q”apaj Conde (aymar arxatiri, Plurinational State of Bolivia)
The meeting was also attended by Wend Wendland, Director and Kiri Toki (Maori, New Zealand), WIPO Indigenous Fellow, both of WIPO’s Traditional Knowledge Division.
