9 December 2014: Aiming to impart basic knowledge of the main principles of the intellectual property system from a traditional knowledge perspective, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) organized a practical workshop for indigenous peoples and local communities on intellectual property and genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore in Geneva, Switzerland, from 3-5 December 2014.

The workshop included a limited number of participants from each of the seven geo-cultural regions recognized by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. It aimed to: emphasize both the potential value that intellectual property could bring in support of traditional knowledge protection and the gaps within the intellectual property system that might need to be filled; explain the rationale, objectives and methodology of the negotiations taking place in the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore; and raise awareness of the available intellectual property tools and WIPO materials that are relevant for the protection of traditional knowledge.

Among other items, the workshop addressed cased studies of misappropriation of traditional knowledge through the erroneous grant of patents, and the relationship between intellectual property and access and benefit-sharing (ABS). [WIPO News][Workshop Documents]