The Department of Intellectual Property (DoIP) in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has successfully conducted a virtual training on Documentation of Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs), and Intellectual Property Management to relevant national stakeholders and officials of DoIP held from 15 to 18 November, 2021. The objective of the training was to educate the stakeholders on the importance of documenting and managing TK and TCEs by introducing the participants to basic procedures of documenting TK and TCEs. A well-conceived and proper documentation has been found to be one of the effective means of defensive protection against misappropriations in other countries.

The training was conducted virtually in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and was facilitated by the experts from the Traditional Knowledge Division of WIPO, MyIP Legal Studio of Kenya and the University of Coventry, United Kingdom. Following are the topics covered during the training:

1. Overview of Intellectual Property protection of TK and TCEs;

2. Overview of Documentation and Registration of TK and TCEs from an Intellectual    Property perspective;

3. Defensive and Positive protection: the Role of Documentation;

4. Cultural Institutions, Preservation and Intellectual Property;

5. Documentation as a Tool in the Digital Environment; and

6. Intellectual Property Management in Preservation, Access and Commercial Activities.

As a way forward, the interested stakeholders were suggested to sort out and make a preliminary inventory of the elements to be documented for defensive protection, and to submit proposals and concerns to the Department for any interventions and assistance required in carrying out the exercise.

The stakeholders were also encouraged to take up WIPO Academy´s Distance Learning Courses on TK/TCEs and Genetic Resources (GR) to enrich their understanding on the fundamentals of TK/TCEs/GR for enhancing their work in this area.

A total of 30 participants, consisting of representatives from the relevant agencies namely, the Department of Culture, National Biodiversity Center, Agency for the Promotion of Indigenous Crafts, Royal Textile Academy, Menjong Sorig Pharmaceuticals Ltd etc. and DoIP Officials attended the training.