World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on April 26. The event 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 economies and societies across the globe ».
April 26 was chosen as the date for World Intellectual Property Day because it coincides with the date on which the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization entered into force in 1970.
World Intellectual Property Day events are an opportunity to explore different aspects of the intellectual property system and how innovators, creators and businesses can use it to add value to their ingenuity and creativity. It is also an opportunity shine a light on the IP system’s role in supporting economic, social and cultural development for the benefit of everyone, everywhere.
At its core, the IP system seeks to balance the interests of inventors and creators with those of the general public through the grant of time-limited rights that meet pre-established conditions as set out in international treaties negotiated by WIPO’s member states.