On April 26 this year, at the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), was held a festive meeting dedicated to World Intellectual Property Day. The event was attended by representatives of central public authorities, representatives of institutions in the sphere of science and innovation, higher education, creative unions, inventors, patent attorneys and employees of the AGEPI.

World Intellectual Property Day theme this year was “Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined”, by which it was wanted to debate issues related to the work of cultural and creative sectors in the digital age.

The festive meeting was opened by Director General of AGEPI, Octavian Apostol, who congratulated all those who work in fields of activity related directly or indirectly to the creation, protection and exploitation of intellectual property, wishing them perseverance, inspiration and new achievements in the professional work.

Next, Octavian Apostol stressed that, on this day, we celebrate not only the enormous power of human creativity, but also intellectual property rights, which helps to feed and channel this force, making it an important engine of economic, cultural and social development.

Present at the festive meeting, Alina Zotea, Member of Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, expressed gratitude for the work and sacrifices of the citizens whose activity is related to the field of intellectual property. Alina Zotea said she would like the creative work to be appreciated to the expected level and is convinced that the AGEPI team will lay down the foundations of a dynamic and intransigent system.

With a congratulatory message also came Vladimir Hotineanu, President of the Parliamentary Committee “Committee on Culture, Education, Research, Youth, Sports and Media”. Vladimir Hotineanu said that intellectual property protection is a prerogative of modern society and promotion of this area by the AGEPI brings only benefits to the creative process.

Present at the event, Ion Tighineanu, first vice-president of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, stressed that Moldova has potential, because we have talented young people and we need to get as further promoting European projects.

With a welcoming speech also came Roman Chirca, Director General of the Agency for Innovation and Technology Transfer, noting that AITT and AGEPI are loyal partners because they share the same field and promote innovations.

Further, in the festive meeting, there were announced the results of the creativity contests launched by AGEPI, on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day. The winners received diplomas and awards from the State Agency on Intellectual Property, as well as from partners Ritlabs and Starnet.

Thus, winner of the Contest for image creation with the theme: “Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined”, organized in the period March 9 – April 20, 2016, was appointed Popescu Alexandru.

Irodoi Camelia won the Grand Prix of the Interactive Interview-Contest “What is Intellectual Property associated with?” organized in the period 14 March – 20 April 2016.

Winners of the National Contest for young people “Online Game in the field of Intellectual Property”, organized in the period March 3 – April 20, 2016, were appointed Amarfii Sergiu and Gori Radu.

To support activities to promote intellectual property and creativity and inventiveness of young people, Director General of AGEPI handed diplomas of mention to Director of Ritlabs, Maxim Masiutin, and to Director of StarNet Management Group, Sergiu Sitnic.

Traditionally, in the framework of the festive meeting dedicated to World Intellectual Property Day, AGEPI also awarded the most active patent attorney in industrial property of the previous year. Thus, AGEPI Trophy “Most Active Patent Attorney of the Year 2015” was handed to Iulian Iorga, who submitted the most applications for registration of industrial property objects.

Also, in the framework of the festive meeting were handed awards received by inventors from the Republic of Moldova at the International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, which took place in the period 13-17 April this year. Eight of the eight inventions presented by the representatives of Moldova were awarded with medals. Moldova’s stand was provided and organized by the financial contribution of AGEPI.

World Intellectual Property Day is marked annually on 26 April, in all Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization, including also the Republic of Moldova, and provides an opportunity to promote the role of intellectual property in fostering innovation and creativity.

The feast is marked since 2000, and April 26 is the day on which the Convention establishing WIPO (1970) came into force. The initiative belonged to China, and the General Assembly of WIPO Member States unanimously accepted the proposal.