Bermuda joins World Intellectual Property Day celebrations

On April 26 each year, countries globally celebrate World Intellectual Property Day to promote discussion of the role of intellectual property in innovation and creativity.

And tomorrow, the Ministry of Home Affairs will formally recognise World IP Day.

This year’s theme is “Creativity – The Next Generation’’, and the Registry General’s Department is encouraging residents to be mindful about how intellectual property impacts our daily lives.

In acknowledging the day, the Minister of Home Affairs, Sen. the Hon. Michael Fahy, JP, said, “The Government of Bermuda is committed to the advancement of views as a sacred trust, the ability of our residents to be creative and innovative.

“This year’s theme is ‘Creativity – The Next Generation’. I think historically, the capacity of Bermudians to apply their minds to new circumstances and to devise novel and wonderfully original ways of advancing this Country has made Bermuda what it is today – a unique, socially and culturally diverse community.

“In keeping with this year’s recognition of World IP Day, we laud and celebrate the innate resourcefulness of our people whose willingness to experiment, create and to dream has inspired our culture.

“The goal of World Intellectual Property Day is to encourage this creativity so that these ideas continue to evolve. As a Government we want to continue to support our people to be inspired and to think outside the box for new ideas and innovations that will transform our community beyond tomorrow.

“Tomorrow, I am encouraging our entire community to support and embrace a culture that rewards individuals for their creative and innovative foresight to look ahead, and perceive new creations and technologies that will shape our future.”

This month, in an effort to encourage public involvement, and to raise awareness of the Registry General’s Department services, the department sponsored an online quiz and invited contestants to test their creative knowledge.

The two winners of the contest will be announced tomorrow on World IP Day and will be presented with prizes of a $1,000 travel voucher and a $500 cash prize respectively.

The Registry General’s Department will also launch tomorrow a World IP Day video competition.

For more information about World IP Day visit: http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/2013/  

About the Registry General’s Department:

The Registry General is responsible for the registration of:

• Designs, Patents and Trade Marks
• Births, Deaths and Marriages/Civil Marriage Ceremonies
• Acquisition of Land by Aliens and British Restricted  Persons,  Corporate Bodies, Land and Legal Documents, and Public Search Facility
• Architects, Marriage Officers, Professional Engineers, and Professional Surveyors
• Charities, Friendly Societies, Pension Trust Funds, Printed Publications, and Trade Unions
• Country Code Top Level Domain .bm