Addressing a two-day National Workshop held in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) at the BMICH on 27-28 April 2017, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen, emphasized the urgent need to finalize a National Policy on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions.
Stakeholders from over 30 government institutions and interested groups who took part in the event, called on the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to constitute a Task Force on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions to see the process through speedily.
PRESS COMMUNIQUE: MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY & COMMERCE
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
3rd May 2017
The Director General of the Geneva based World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Dr. Francis Gurry has commended Sri Lanka’s efforts to draft a national policy on Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) and has expressed hope that the WIPO supported twin national and cross-regional workshops on this theme to be held in Colombo in April 2017 will lead to legislation that will protect and give value to the intellectual property rights associated with Traditional Knowledge (TK), and Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) unique to Sri Lanka. He also praised Sri Lanka for the enhancement of national capacities in several spheres of intellectual property in the country in recent years and for its continued cooperation and active engagement with WIPO.
A CDIP Project titled “Intellectual Property, Tourism and Culture” was launched in Sri Lanka through a WIPO Mission undertaken from 2-6 May 2016. This Mission brought together the main stakeholders in the fields of IP, tourism and culture, and a National Steering Committee has been established for the project implementation at national level. In the framework of this Project, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has been appointed as the coordinating agency for the project implementation in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka on Wednesday ( 5 October 2016) became the 24th country to accede to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled. Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, handed over the instrument of accession to the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Dr. Francis Gurry, during the ongoing 56th Series of Meetings of Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, 3-11 October 2016 in Geneva.
More than 75 WIPO member states have signed the Treaty, which entered into force on 30 September 2016, 3 months following the ratification of the 20th country. The Marrakesh Treaty is envisaged to facilitate the availability of published works in accessible formats for the people who are blind, visually impaired, and print disabled. – such as Braille - through limitations and exceptions to the rights of copyright right holders. The Treaty is also designed to provide assurances to authors and publishers that their published works will not be misused or distribution to anyone other than the intended beneficiaries.
Work on Sri Lanka’s national Innovation Index set to measure the Lankan innovation portfolio, began in Colombo Tuesday.
The Director General of the Geneva based World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Dr. Francis Gurry, commended Sri Lanka for its achievements and concrete deliverables under the 10 Point GoSL-WIPO Intellectual Property Action Plan, which could serve as a good model for other countries similarly placed as Sri Lanka.
Dr. Gurry made these observations when Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Mr. T.M.K.B. Tennekoon met him on the sidelines of the 35th Session of the Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT) held from 25- 27 April 2016 in Geneva.
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha said a IP system has a key role to play in supporting innovation and technology, which are essential components of sustainable development.