World IP Day 2022
Message from Hon’ble Lyonpo Loknath Sharma, Ministry of Economic Affairs
On the occasion of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day today, I would like to extend my heartiest felicitations to all the members of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and His Excellency Mr. Daren Tang, Director General of WIPO.
The World IP Day is observed on April 26 every year with a variety of events worldwide to celebrate innovation and creativity of human intellect. This day offers a unique opportunity to join with others around the world to reflect on how IP contributes to innovation in business, flourishing of the arts, driving the technological growth in our world and to encourage respect for the IP rights of others. This year, the international theme underlined is “IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future,” which celebrates youth-led innovation and creativity.
I hope through IP Day celebration events and campaigns around the world today, young people will be able to gain a better understanding of how the tools of the IP system; trademarks, design rights, copyright, patents, plant variety rights, geographical indications, trade secrets and more; can support their ambitions to build a better future. World Intellectual Property Day 2022 celebrates this exciting generation of change-makers and reflects on how IP rights can support the youth of tomorrow to create a better future. This day is also an opportunity for young people to find out how IP rights can support their goals, help transform their ideas into reality, generate income, create jobs, and positively impact the world around them. With IP rights, young people have access to some of the key tools they need to advance their ambitions.
According to WIPO, today’s youth is an incredible and largely untapped source of creativity and ingenuity. There are around 1.8 billion young people (aged 24) in the world today. Ninety percent of them live in developing countries. The proportion of young people (under 35) is set to increase in the coming years. Young people are the innovators, the creators, and the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Through their creativity and ingenuity, young people in all regions are driving change and carving pathways to a better future. Millennials and Gen Z are change-makers; they are pragmatists and are not afraid to speak out and challenge the status quo. Today’s youth are digital natives. They grew up in a connected world with mobile phones and the Internet, where the lines between the physical and digital worlds are blurred. This has shaped a generation that is arguably the most entrepreneurial, innovative, and creative yet.
I would therefore like to resonate WIPO and call on all young people, wherever your ambitions lie – the arts, science, technology – a creative and innovative mindset backed up with IP rights will help you make a difference. So get involved in this year’s campaign and learn what IP can do for you. Likewise, policymakers could also listen to young inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs’ needs and concerns and develop policies and programs that nurture and support their endeavors to innovate for a better future.
The role of IP in Bhutan has been gradually gaining ground as the catalyst for stimulating innovation and creativity. With the adoption of the National Intellectual Property Policy in 2018 and various initiatives being pursued by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in collaboration with WIPO and other national stakeholders, the prospect of IP as one of the main indicators for the economic growth in Bhutan appears more promising . With the increased growth in the value of intangible assets in the modern economy, Bhutanese must understand and realize the role of IP rights in protecting the investment in intangible assets, thereby encouraging innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.
I wish everyone a very happy World Intellectual Property Day 2022 and Tashi Delek!.
Issued in public interest by Ministry of Economic Affairs