What it is
The Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest is the largest and most important global meeting of academics and advocates working at the intersection of intellectual property law and the promotion of public interest. The main objective of GCIP is to promote the formulation of evidence-based policies by fostering partnerships between academics and policy advocates around the world.
The specific objectives of the Congress were summarized in the 2011 Washington Declaration on Intellectual Property and Public Interest.
History
The First World Congress on Intellectual Property and Public Interest was held from August 25 to 28, 2011, at the American University Law School in Washington, DC. The main objectives of the Congress were to articulate a positive agenda for the reform of Intellectual Property policy and strengthen international capacities for the formulation of evidence-based policies. Nearly 200 participants from more than 30 countries for 3 days were part of the drafting and signing the Washington Declaration on Intellectual Property and Public Interest. The organizers of the Congress including the American Assembly, the Technology and Society Center of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (Brazil), and the Center for International Trade and Sustainable Development (Geneva).
The subsequent meetings of the Congress were organized by the Technology and Society Center, FGV Direito, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; by the Intellectual Property Unit of the University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, and by the Internet and Society Center, New Delhi, India, and Washington.
The meeting of 2020 was to be in Cartagena, Colombia, organized by the Karisma Foundation, IFARMA Foundation, Universidad del Rosario Internet & Society Center (ISUR), Misión Salud from Colombia, and InternetLab from Brazil.
However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the meeting was canceled, and two global virtual meetings are taking place instead.
The Intellectual Property and Public Interest Weeks and COVID-19 (2020 and 2021) are virtual meetings of academics and advocates, sharing experiences and analysis on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at the intersection of intellectual property law promoting the public interest. The Colombian host team organizes 2020 and 2021 #IPWeek.
Declarations
You can check the Washington Declaration at this link.