The Department of Intellectual Property celebrated the World Intellectual Property Day on 26 April 2018 with the faculty and students of Jigme Namgyel Engineering College at Dewathang, Samdrup Jongkhar. The celebration was followed by a daylong workshop on intellectual property (awareness, its economic importance, patent database search, etc.,) for participants from the college on 27 April 2018. The global theme for this year’s World Intellectual Property Day is “Powering change: Women in innovation and creativity” and the campaign is intended to celebrate the brilliance, ingenuity, curiosity and courage of the women who are driving change in our world and shaping our common future.

The World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated annually on April 26 to learn about the role that intellectual property rights (patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyright etc.,) play in encouraging innovation and creativity. Events are organized around the world on this day to recognize creativity and contribution made by creators and innovators to the socioeconomic and cultural development of the society, and also to stimulate a culture of respect for the IP rights. World Intellectual Property Day also provides an opportunity to reflect on how intellectual property touches all aspects of our lives: How copyright helps bring music to our ears and art, films and literature before our eyes; how industrial design helps shape our world, and how trademarks provide reliable signs of quality & recognition; how patenting helps promote ingenious inventions that make life easier, faster, safer – and sometimes completely change our way of living. These things are often taken for granted; there is little public awareness of the connection between human creativity and intellectual property in daily life. Although most people have heard of copyright, patents, industrial designs and trademarks, many view them simply as business or legal concerns, with little effect on their own lives. World Intellectual Property Day provides an ideal opportunity to improve public understanding of – and respect for – creativity, innovation, and the intellectual property system by demonstrating their importance in daily life. The protection of IP rights is basically the protection of private rights but with underlying societal and development objectives.

The day was also celebrated to promote general awareness on intellectual property in the country. In addition, the Royal Government of Bhutan, through the National Intellectual Property Policy 2018 emphasizes on the need to enhance awareness on promotion as well as on utilization of intellectual property among various stakeholders.