26th April, 2016 marked the World Intellectual Property Day in recognition of the role that copyright, patents, trademarks & geographical indications, among other intellectual property rights, play in encouraging innovation and creativity. This year’s celebrations were centered on exploring culture in the digital age and ensuring that the intellectual property systems in place not only encourage creativity but also ensure that persons in the creative sector receive adequate financial reward for their creativity.
While intellectual property enthusiasts and stakeholders across the globe united to mark this important day in different fashion, here in Kenya, various stakeholders were not left behind. The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) and the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRSK) held a workshop on ‘digital creativity; culture reimagined’ to mark the world intellectual property day. The workshop drew various participants to engage in the protection and exploitation of photographs; audiovisual works; and music online as well as available support for software developers.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) organized a training course together with The Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) to equip attendees with knowledge on Intellectual Property and Branding. The selected topic highlighted the 2016 agenda that WIPO has in exploring how IP interacts with culture and digital creativity. The key message highlighted globally was that, culture has been reinvented in the digital platform, thus we have to create strong and responsive intellectual property frameworks that rightfully protect the works of creators and innovators while encouraging further innovation and enjoyment by the public of these works.
In the spirit of this agenda, Kenya has a duty to consider its national IP framework and align it with the policy directions of WIPO. Its duty stems from its obligation to the various IP treaties it has ratified. This includes amendment of existing laws to bring them in line with the realities of the digital age and the adoption of new laws for the protection of geographical indications and traditional knowledge. Thus, while the celebrations around the World IP Day are indeed encouraged, it must also be recognized that a lot remains to be done in order to establish frameworks that adequately protect, reward and encourage creativity and innovation in Kenya. Indeed much of this responsibility and the success of any efforts made in this regard lies with the IP stakeholders and professionals.
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