World Intellectual Property Day

World Intellectual Property Day History

World Intellectual Property Day is dedicated to promoting and encouraging innovation and creativity among the public, artists, inventors, and enterprises. The observance serves to acknowledge the significance of intellectual property (IP) rights, including patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and copyright. This day is also aimed at familiarising people worldwide with the role IP rights play in establishing strong economies, encouraging social and cultural development, and promoting progress and welfare in countries around the globe.

World Intellectual Property Day has been celebrated worldwide since 2000, when the event was established by the members of WIPO to amplify the understanding of IP. For New Zealand, this day has been pivotal in focussing on the importance of IP rights to its creative and innovative industries — sectors that make substantial contributions to New Zealand’s economy. Events held across the nation aim not only to protect the original works of New Zealand’s creators but also to celebrate their creative and cultural achievements.

In New Zealand, World Intellectual Property Day is observed in various ways, such as seminars, workshops, and public discussions revolving around the theme for the particular year as set by WIPO. These activities involve a wide array of participants, ranging from inventors, artists, entrepreneurs, to legal practitioners specialising in IP matters. World Intellectual Property Day is observance each year on April 26th.

Facts about World Intellectual Property Day

• The theme for World Intellectual Property Day in 2025 was Tunning in with the music of innovation and creativity. In 2024 the theme was IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity.
  In 2023, the theme was Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity.
• Intellectual property holds immense economic value. In fact, in many global companies, the value of IP assets greatly exceeds the value of their physical assets.
• The duration of IP rights can vary dependent on the type. Copyrights generally last for the lifetime of the creator plus 70 years, while patents typically last for 20 years from the date of filing. Trademarks can last indefinitely, provided they are continually used and defended.
• In 2019, IPONZ marked World Intellectual Property Day by reminding New Zealand companies of the importance of protecting their intellectual property when exporting to Asia. This came after it was revealed that New Zealand businesses suffered losses estimated at $150 million from IP infringements in China.
• The Copyright Act 1994 in New Zealand provides protection to original literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works along with sound recordings, films, communication works and the typographical arrangement of published editions.

In the News and Trending in NZ for World Intellectual Property Day

Top things to do in NZ for this observance

• Explore event ideas and activities for World Intellectual Property Day. The World Intellectual Property Organization offers workshops and programs for participants.
• Learn more about how intellectual property can help a business. Intellectual property can help protect products and services, increase brand visibility, and help eliminate risks to valuable information.
• Visit the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ), on their website you can learn about IP laws, recent changes, inventions, and trademarks registered in New Zealand.
• Read a book to learn more about Intellectual Property in New Zealand:
  1) New Zealand Master Bookkeepers Guide 3rd Edition - by Stephen Marsden.
  2) Legal Principles of Intellectual Property in New Zealand - by Graeme Austin.