WIPO’s World Intellectual Property Day Celebrates Music and Artistic Innovation

In 2000, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) established World Intellectual Property Day to honor innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs. Each year, WIPO selects a specific theme or right protected by intellectual property (IP) laws to celebrate, along with the pioneers whose works are safeguarded under these legal frameworks.

This year, WIPO has chosen “Music and Musical Works” as its central theme, recognizing how creators and inventors have transformed music into the pulse that complements the symphony of universal harmony—nature’s own orchestra.

This day serves as a celebration for all who derive their livelihood from the protection of their intellectual property rights in musical works—whether through inventing a new instrument, composing a delicate melody, or even reimagining a classical masterpiece with a fresh arrangement.

On this occasion, WIPO invites all who have contributed to enriching life through musical creativity to join the festivities.

The beauty of music has long been extolled by poets—some even elevating it beyond mere description, considering it a divine language transcending time. Kahlil Gibran, in his seminal work The Prophet, wrote:

“Music is the only language the heart understands without translation; it is the voice of the soul when it shatters its chains.”

Others, like the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, saw music as a refuge from political strife and a redemption from bitter reality—particularly in his later works, where he wrote:

“We love life, if we can find a way to it… We plant where we settle fast-growing crops, and harvest where we bury our dead… We blow into the flute the color of the distant horizon, and etch upon the earth’s passage the whinny of a horse.”

For Mutran, music symbolized artistic beauty, intertwined with imagery of nature and love—nowhere more evident than in his poem Spring and Music.

It is truly remarkable that WIPO has chosen music as this year’s theme, serving as an invitation to appreciate and celebrate its profound impact.

Egypt’s Pioneering Role in IP Protection

Egypt has played a leading role in the Arab and African regions in safeguarding intellectual property rights, taking proactive steps to develop its IP legislative and regulatory frameworks.

Egypt’s legal system began codifying IP protections as early as the 1930s, with the issuance of:

Trademarks and Commercial Data Law No. 57 of 1939

Patents and Industrial Designs Law No. 132 of 1949

Presidential Decree No. 72 of 1995, ratifying Egypt’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Egypt has also joined key international treaties, including:

The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1886), enabling creators (authors, musicians, poets, artists, etc.) to control the use of their works.

The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.

Additionally, Egypt established national committees, such as the National Intellectual Property Committee, to coordinate intergovernmental efforts and ensure seamless enforcement of IP laws.

The country’s IP framework reached a milestone with the enactment of the Unified Intellectual Property Law (Law No. 82 of 2002), followed by the National Intellectual Property Strategy (2022-2027), which outlines institutional, legislative, economic, and awareness-building objectives across two phases:

A transitional phase (18-24 months from launch)

An executive phase (extending through 2027)

The recent Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority Law (No. 163 of 2023) marks the implementation of this strategy—a development warranting thorough legal and national analysis.

By the Numbers: Egypt’s IP Progress

Recent official data highlights Egypt’s advancements in IP protection:

Trademarks

42.8% increase in trademarks granted in 2024.

42,538 applications filed, including 33,703 by Egyptians.

19,099 trademarks granted to Egyptians (80.3%), followed by applicants from the U.S. (1,496, 6.3%) and the UAE (512, 2.2%).

Patents

1,860 patent applications filed in 2024 (586 by Egyptians, 31.5%).

266 patents granted (65 to Egyptians, 24.4%).

Top patent categories:

Human necessities (25.6%)

Chemistry & metallurgy (22.6%)

Forming & transport (15.4%)

Leading countries in granted patents:

Egypt (65 patents, 24.4%)

U.S. (41 patents, 15.4%)

Japan (22 patents, 8.3%)

Bazad Law Firm: Your Partner in IP Protection

At Bazad Law Firm, we are deeply appreciative of Egypt’s robust legal framework, which empowers IP attorneys, inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs—setting a benchmark in the region.

If you wish to receive a free 30-minute consultation or learn more about how we can assist you in protecting what matters most, visit our website at www.bazad.net.