Belize to commemorate World Intellectual Property Day 2021

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) decided in 2000 to designate an annual World

Belize to commemorate World Intellectual Property Day 2021
Belize to commemorate World Intellectual Property Day 2021

Belize: The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) decided in 2000 to designate an annual World Intellectual Property Day to address the perceived gap between intellectual property (IP) as a business/legal concept and its relevance to people’s lives. 

World Intellectual Property Day is observed on April 26 each year with various events and activities worldwide. It aims to increase people’s awareness and understanding of intellectual property. The theme in celebration of World IP Day 2021 is “IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market”.

With this theme, WIPO hopes to shine a light on the economic importance of small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their critical role in driving economic recovery and job creation. COVID-19 has vastly impacted the world’s economy, and Belize is no exception. 

Since SMEs makeup around 90 percent of the world’s businesses and employ approximately 50 percent of the global workforce, generating up to 40 percent of national income in many emerging economies, we must encourage and support SMEs in taking their ideas to market, and this may bring us one step closer in building back the world’s economy.

In celebration of World IP Day 2021, Belize Intellectual Property Office (BELIPO) will be highlighting the importance of IP for economic growth and development, intending to encourage our Belizean citizens to tap into their creative skills and allow their ideas to come to fruition.

In that regard, representatives of BELIPO will appear on the “You and the Law” show on Krem TV on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. We will be speaking about IP day and our scheduled activities, and the significance of IP for economic growth and development.

BELIPO will be hosting two virtual seminars for SME’s, Copyright Holders, university students and the general public. Day 1 (April 22) will be geared towards creating awareness on how registering your intellectual property can impact the success of your business. 

Day 2 (April 23) will be focused on Copyright and how right holders can “take their ideas to the market”. There will be presentations from Marie Sharp’s Fine Foods Ltd., Belize Agro Enterprise Ltd., BELTRAIDE, Attorney-at-Law Marissa Longsworth and BSCAP.

On April 26 (IP Day), BELIPO will have an open day where public members are invited to stop in and collect information and get special assistance. Strict COVID-19 measures will be adhered to, GOB added.

GOB stated, “We invite the public to visit our website at https://www.belipo.bz/ for more information relating to BELIPO’s IP Day activities.”

Under the auspices of the Attorney General’s Ministry, the Belize Intellectual Property Office takes this opportunity to encourage entrepreneurs and SME’s to “take their ideas to market” today, Belize and the rest of the world is waiting.