World Intellectual Property Day – the anniversary of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) convention in 1970 – falls every year on April 26. Move over St Lucidius of Verona, we now have a non-denominational excuse for a party this time! So, how can one celebrate this auspicious date?
WIPO suggest that the theme for World Intellectual Property Day 2015 should be music, and this year prominent world musicians are backing this year’s awareness campaign. If you have ever wondered what Stevie Wonder thinks about Intellectual Property Rights (spoiler alert – he literally cannot imagine a world without copyright protection, which is presumably the opposite stance taken by Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke), then head on over to the WIPO website for a taste.
Party suggestion – put on your traditional Brazilian forró records and join WIPO on Facebook
These boots were made for walkin’
Perhaps you are the sort of person who was built for travelling, in which case, why make a pilgrimage to WIPO itself in Geneva? A popular online route-finding service (alternative services are available) suggests that it would be possible to drive there in around 12 hours from the Albright base camp, so perhaps this year’s expedition should be a fact-finding mission to see just how WIPO goes about promoting creative intellectual activity and facilitating the transfer of technology related to industrial property to the developing countries in order to accelerate economic, social and cultural development, as per the WIPO Convention.
Party suggestion – relax on the shores of Lake Geneva whilst basking in the reflected glare of the WIPO headquarters
I’ve got a brand new combine harvester
What about if you have invented the latest in agricultural technology, and want to focus on the global aspects of Intellectual Property protection? Have you thought about applying for a patent via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)?
A patent application filed under the PCT remains pending in 148 countries for 30 months from your date of first priority, at which point you must convert it into equivalent patents in the territories in which you are interested in protecting your invention. Using the provisional protection afforded by the PCT application, you can now scope the demand for your product in Papua New Guinea before you need to decide on committing to applying for a patent there.
Party suggestion – take the hassle out of drafting and filing a PCT application; invite yourself over to Albright IP where we can do all of the hard work for you
Do you have a suggestion for a party which WIPO could hold? Why not drop them a line at WorldIPDay@wipo.int