World Intellectual Property Day is a holiday that’s observed every year on April 26th. It was first established in 2000 by the World Intellectual Property Organization to raise the public’s awareness of how trademarks, copyrights, and patents impact everyone’s daily lives.

They also created it to show the public the importance to artists and creators of ensuring their intellectual property remains safeguarded. Since intellectual property is important for innovation and creativity, this is a day that everyone should consider celebrating when it rolls around in April.

The History of World Intellectual Property Day

In September of 1998, this holiday was first proposed by the Director-General of the National Algerian Institute for Industrial Property. The following April, the institutionalization of the idea was proposed to the U.N. General Assembly.

In August of 1999, the Chinese delegation to the World Intellectual Property Organization also recommended the adoption of a World Intellectual Property Day. In October of that same year, WIPO’s General Assembly approved the adoption of this day, and in April of 2000, it was observed for the very first time.

Interesting Facts About Intellectual Property

Anyone who wants to celebrate Intellectual Property Day and is interested in learning more about intellectual property and its impact on society is going to want to stick around. That’s because we’ve come up with some interesting facts that will highlight some important aspects of IP and its effect on the world.

Intellectual Property Can Be Placed in One of Two Different Categories

All intellectual property can be placed in two basic categories: intellectual property that requires registration, and intellectual property that doesn’t. The IP in the first category includes patents, registered designs, domain names, and trademarks. The IP in the second category includes unregistered designs, copyrights, common law trademarks, and confidential information.

What’s a Patent?

A patent is a legal right that allows the patent owner to stop someone else from making, using, or selling a particular invention. Most patents have to do with technical inventions, but there are patents extended for solving a particular problem or approaching a problem in a unique way.

What Are Registered Trademarks?

Trademarks relate to a company or individual’s branding. They are used to brand a company or to sell a particular service or product under a brand name. Trademarks are signs, logos, and words that distinguish different companies and products from one another in the marketplace.

What Are Registered Designs?

If an individual or company wants to protect the visual appearance or shape of a product, then they may obtain a registered design. Registered designs can be for traditional objects, typefaces, or computer symbols.

Observing World Intellectual Property Day

A variety of different events are held on this day, with the majority of them orchestrated by a collaboration between the World Intellectual Property Organization and various governmental agencies, individuals, and community groups.

These events include concerts in which the performers underline the importance of intellectual property, lectures, and seminars on the subject of intellectual property, and exhibits held at museums, schools, and other educational institutions. Anyone wishing to spread the word about this holiday can also use the hashtag #WorldIntellectualPropertyDay on their social media accounts.