Sakpatenti's Training Center Hosts International Training Program on Intellectual Property with 14 Countries Represented

A completely renewed International Executive Program on Geographical Indications (GI), co-organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Sakpatenti, is being held at the Sakpatenti Intellectual Property Education and Training Center. This marks the eighth edition of the program, which has been updated in 2024 to place greater emphasis on European Union best practices and practical applications. To enhance this focus, EU experts from both academic and professional circles have been invited. Notably, based on Georgia’s successful experience and leadership in the field of GIs, it remains the only country where the WIPO Academy offers this joint advanced international training program annually.

The Executive Program is designed for officials from intellectual property offices, sectoral ministries, and public institutions involved in GI protection. This year, participants from 14 countries, including Argentina, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Mauritania, the Philippines, Uganda, Rwanda, Romania, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Zambia are attending.

The program on GIs covers sessions on protection, control mechanisms, commercialization, marketing, strategic branding, and recent trends. These sessions are led by international and Georgian speakers, including professors from the University of Alicante (Spain) and the University of Warsaw (Poland), experts from WIPO and the World Trade Organization (WTO), and specialists from Sakpatenti, the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, and the National Wine Agency.

Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Chairman of Sakpatenti, met with participants at Sakpatenti Headquarters. In his remarks, he emphasized the importance of GI protection for Georgia’s socio-cultural and economic development and highlighted recent reforms in GI-related legislation. He expressed his gratitude to WIPO Academy for its ongoing cooperation and wished success to all participants. Mr. Victor Owade, the newly appointed Head of the Program at WIPO Academy, attended the opening ceremony during his visit to Georgia.

As part of the program, participants will visit the Kakheti region, where they will tour Appellations of Origin microzones and observe the production of Georgian protected Appellation of Origin wines.

Upon completion, participants will receive joint certificates from WIPO Academy and Sakpatenti, recognizing their successful completion of the Executive Program.

This specialized, advanced international training program on GIs has gained international popularity among experts. Since 2017, nearly 120 representatives from various countries have completed the program, and interest continues to grow each year.

For Sakpatenti, hosting this program in Georgia is a powerful tool for enhancing the global reputation and awareness of unique Georgian products – created through the country’s natural conditions and traditional production methods – among international professional circles.