The International Conference on Design Protection is Over

The joint international conference on design protection, organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Sakpatenti, is over. The conference brought together sectoral specialists from 14 European countries, high-ranking guests from WIPO, representatives of the Government of Georgia, and the private sector. Professors of the Apollon Kutateladze Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, as well as well-known Georgian and foreign designers, also participated in the event.

At the conference, the role of design as an object of intellectual property in the modern economy was highlighted, combining technological innovation, marketing orientation, and the formation of consumer demand. Within the conference, panel discussions were held covering the impact of design innovations on economies in the region and beyond. Participants also discussed the interaction between the Hague System and the Riyadh Treaty in creating a comprehensive framework for design protection, and how they address current challenges.

The speakers and moderators of the panel were Mr. Marcus Höpperger, Senior Director, Department for Trademarks, Designs and Geographical Indications, Brands and Designs Sector, WIPO; Ms. Salome Tsimakuridze, Head of the Administration Department, Sakpatenti; and Ms. Darejan Mtchedlidze, Head of the Department of Trademarks, Geographical Indications and Design, Sakpatenti. Well-known designers Mr. Buba Radiani and Ms. Kateryna Sokolova shared their views on the role of design in economic development.

Presentations at the panel discussion were also delivered by Professor James Moultrie, University of Cambridge; Mr. Josip Merdžo, Director of the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ms. Natalia Mogol, Deputy Director of the State Agency on Intellectual Property of the Republic of Moldova (AGEPI); and Mr. Emil Hasanov, Senior Program Officer, Section for Central European and Baltic States and Mediterranean Countries, WIPO. Among the speakers were Ms. Violeta Ghetu, Legal Officer, Policy and Legislative Advice Section, WIPO; Ms. Gülsevi Esra Bal, Head of the Designs Department, Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT); and Ms. Agnieszka Gaweł, Examiner, Trademark Department, Patent Office of the Republic of Poland.

After the conference, participants visited Tbileli’s Karvasla, a unique 17th-century architectural building housing the I. Grishashvili Tbilisi History Museum, the Tbilisi Wine Museum, and “Secret Gardens,” where works by Georgian designers and artists are exhibited. Karvasla is a distinctive hallmark of the city’s history and culture for visitors to Tbilisi.