World Intellectual Property Day is annually observed across the globe on 26th April to create awareness about the impacts of the patents, copyright, trademark and designs. The day also aims to educate the general public about the role of Intellectual property(IP) rights in supporting innovation and creativity.
The theme of World Intellectual Property Day 2021 is “IP and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(SMEs): Taking your ideas to market”.
The theme highlights the benefits of IP towards the growth of SMEs.
Background:
In 2000, The member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United Nations (UN) Agency for intellectual property proclaimed the 26th April of every year as the World Intellectual Property Day.
Why April 26?
April 26th marks the day on which the WIPO Convention came into force in 1970.
Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization was signed in Stockholm, Sweden on 14th July 1967.
What is Intellectual Property?
i.Intellectual property includes the intangible creations of intellectual humans.
ii.The well-known types of IP are copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets.
iii.The intellectual property rights are the rights of a person over their creations, this provides the creators with an exclusive right over their creation for a period of time.
About World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):
Director General- Daren Tang
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Members– 193
Established in 1967
