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When we talk about intellectual property rights we normally think of boot-legged music and movies but it’s much more than that. Your mother’s remedy for the cold and those Anansi stories are considered intellectual property and fall under the protection of the World Intellectual Property Organization. That is why a working group from WIPO is in Belize to meet with stakeholders. Mary Ann Richards is WIPO’s regional consultant and coordinator of the working group. We spoke to Richards at this morning’s opening ceremony.

Mary Ann Richards, Regional Consultant & Coordinator of Working Group
“Traditional knowledge is so vast, we say there is no universal definition of traditional knowledge but we basically say it is innovative and creative activity by human beings carried out in communities and handed down from generation to generation usually in a oral format and that can touch anything. It could be scientific, cultural, artistic – whatever field you can think of. And you can think of things, for example medicinal, herbs, culture, architecture, skills, poems, dances, rites, rituals, drama, stories – all those would fit into the definition of traditional knowledge.”

Treaty of Chaguaramas for CARICOM makes provisions for the protection of intellectual property and as you would know we live in a world where knowledge is the driver of the economy and it is not only the driver of the economy, it is now driving the world and traditional knowledge has become a very hot topic and it is seen very much as an important asset. We have tended to undervalue it and underestimate it. Other people are coming to countries and appropriating the knowledge of communities and so this is an attempt to consult with stakeholders and arrive at a protective framework for protecting traditional knowledge.”

The working group moves to Galen University tomorrow and then to Stann Creek and Toledo on Wednesday.