World Intellectual Property Day observed on April 26

Key facts

• World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on April 26.
• The event was established to increase general understanding of intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and copyrights.
• The idea for the day was first proposed by the National Algerian Institute for Industrial Property in 1999.
• The State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China suggested the institutionalisation of the event during the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly.
• WIPO member states approved the proposal in October 1999.
• The date April 26 coincides with the anniversary of the date the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization first entered into force in 1970.
• The first official World Intellectual Property Day was held in 2000.