My son Ryan is studying Industrial Design at Arizona State University.  He regularly updates us about interesting points related to his chosen profession. Yesterday, he alerted me via Twitter that today, April 26th, would be World Intellectual Property Day:

An event established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to “raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life” and “to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the globe”. (Wikipedia)

On the WIPO Website, speaking about the role of design, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry describes design as “the language of communication of objects,” helping to communicate both function and esthetics. (I can’t figure out how to link to or embed the video featuring Mr. Gurry, but you can access it via a link in the second paragraph of this page)

As an active participant in an industry whose value is primarily based on intellectual property, I’m pleased to raise my voice in support of intellectual property and the art and science of design that plays such a crucial role in creating such value.