The Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property, through the Attorney General’s Chambers, is pleased to inform the public that on Sunday, April 26, 2020, World Intellectual Property Day will be celebrated, under the theme “Innovate for a Green Future”.
The day was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life and to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the globe.
In light the Coronavirus pandemic and the need to keep everyone safe and well, WIPO has not organized any physical events to mark the event. However, the Organization has encouraged the World Intellectual Property Day community to move celebrations to virtual channels. The Registry will play its part in pursuing innovative ways of building awareness among the citizenry, by virtual and other means.
World IP Day 2020 puts innovation and the IP rights that support it, at the heart of efforts to create a green future, because the choices we make today will shape our tomorrow. The earth is our home, and we need to care of it.
Collectively, we possess the wisdom, ingenuity, and creativity to come up with new and more effective ways to shape a low-carbon future. But we must act now! World IP Day 2020 celebrates the work of many inspiring inventors and creators world-wide who are working towards a green future with efforts to create cleaner alternatives of fossil-fuel-based technologies, better and more sustainable food and natural resource management systems.
On the local front, the Registry applauds the advancement of sustainable agriculture and food security efforts, which aim to promote a green future. As a small island developing state, we are encouraged to continue exploring innovative solutions to the various problems eventuated by our vulnerabilities to external economic shocks such as those resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the impacts of natural disasters and the effects of climate change.
The value of intellectual property rights cannot be overemphasized. As such, the Registry notes the wealth of talent and creativity that exists locally, notably among the island’s youth. This is evident from the great amount of talent in the production of jingles, musical tracks, memes, graphic designs, animated videos and film and other interesting forms of intellectual property.
We are, therefore, encouraged to use the transition from physical to electronic, digital, and virtual methods of doing business, as a springboard to develop our talents into careers which will have long-term and sustainable economic benefits. As we observe the progress of our authors, artists and inventors, we note that their contributions can play a key role in creating a vision of a green future.
We wish Saint Lucia and the World, a Happy World Intellectual Property Day!
For more information please click on the link below for the Director General's World IP Day Message:
https://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/2020/dg_message.html
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