New wave of creativity theme of World IP Day events 26-29 April

In Finland, World IP Day is to be celebrated for four days, from 26 to 29 April. Through this special day World Intellectual Property Organisation WIPO, a specialised agency of the United Nations, wishes to draw attention to the great significance of creativity and innovations for wealth creation and the wellbeing of mankind. The theme of World IP Day this year is 'Innovation – Linking the World'.

The theme in Finland for 2010 is ‘New wave of creativity’, which is very topical considering the current economic situation. The goal is, in accordance with the Finnish Innovation Strategy, to challenge all Finns to revise their thinking and to create growth and achieve sustainable competitiveness by using demand-led innovation. Creativity, innovations and inventions help deliver prosperity in the long term as well. In Finland, the day has also been declared the Finnish Inventors’ Day.

In addition to the World IP Day main ceremony, a national Innovation Parliament will meet on 26 and 27 April, with the aim to promote the Finnish world of innovation. The Parliament will be a two-day seminar for stakeholders, consisting of working groups that strive to find new initiatives to strengthen competitiveness and, in a plenary meeting, to make recommendations. Another event will be the Copyright Day on 28 April, which will emphasise the role and growing importance of copyright.

The main ceremony will be hosted by Aalto University, in co-operation with the actual initiators of the event, i.e. the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland, the Association for Finnish Work, Suomalaisten Keksijöiden Tukiyhdistys (an association for the support of Finnish inventors), Innovaatiokanava Oy (the practical organizer), and other co-operative partners. Aalto University is a new multidisciplinary university, where science and art meet technology and business. The university is located in Espoo and Helsinki in Finland.

More information:

• Mr Juha Klemola, National Board of Patents and Registration, tel. +358 (0)9 6939 5800
• Mr Arto Tuominen, Innovaatiokanava, tel. +358 (0)400 811 480