The 2012 Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest may be taking place across the ocean in Brazil, but there is still lots of IP goodness for Africa in the conference’s filling.
This year’s theme is Setting the Positive Agenda in Motion. Catchy. The positive agenda mentioned here is the action agenda developed at the first Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest, which was held last year. Sessions and discussions will focus on how to us IP as a tool for development and include workshops as well as presentations.
Set sessions include:
- Regulating Intellectual Property
- Valuing Openness and the Public Domain
- Strengthening Limitations and Exceptions as Enabling Tools for Innovation and Expression
- Setting Public Interest Priorities for Patent and Research and Development Reform
- Supporting Cultural Creativity
- Checking Enforcement Excesses
- Implementing Development Agendas
- Targeted Research
Presentation slots are still open, and there’s even a set of topics on which presenters are being sought. Afro-Leo knows a number of great IP attorneys on the continent who could present on “the ecology of access to education materials.”
More information on the conference can be found here. The conference is from 15 – 17 December. Registration is currently open with a deadline of 1 August for presenters and those requesting travel or funding assistance.
If any of Afro-Leo’s readers are able to attend, we would love to have a report back to share!
Hat tip to Primah Kwagala for bringing the 2012 Global Congress to Afro-Leo’s attention.
Photo credit: This photo of a Brazil’s forests through a cave opening in Poço Azul that happens to be shaped a lot like Africa is called “Brazil” by Denise Mayumi licensed under CC-BY, available on Flickr.
