Director
General of the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO), Kamil Idris, pledged his organization's
commitment to bring all people online during his
opening address at the Second International Conference
on Electronic Commerce and Intellectual Property.
The conference, that started September 19 in Geneva,
will address intellectual property in relation
to the digital age. More than 500 representatives
from industry, government and nongovernmental organizations
are attending the three-day event.
The
first WIPO conference, held two years ago, discussed
the ramifications of intellectual property rights on
electronic commerce. Idris said today the delegates
gathered to "learn how its implications have changed
and are likely to develop in the future." He termed
the emergence of new digital technologies as an "evolution" rather
than a "revolution," and said these have
led to "pioneering changes to social, cultural
and economic framework."
"We are also well aware that the
Internet is not yet truly the "global" medium
it has the potential to be," Dr.
Idris said. He said currently only six
percent of the world's population was
online.
WIPO
figures on the explosion of digital
technologies indicate the pace of change
in the digital age. An estimated seven
million new pages are added to the Internet
daily. Thirty-six million domain names
that currently exist are said to increase
to 75 million by next year. Idris emphasized
WIPO's commitment to "keep pace" with
the digital age and to lead the international
community in the field of intellectual
property rights.
Idris expressed his condolences to the
United States following the terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Center in
New York on September 11. Following the
attacks, some of the speakers from the
United States were unable to attend the
conference. Organizers are hoping to
organize video-conferencing for the event.
Robert
E. Kahn, President of the Corporation
for National Research Initiatives (CNRI)
was one of the speakers unable to attend.
He sent his message through videotape.
Kahn, one of the pioneers who developed
the Internet, said the "burst of
the dot com bubble," was a result
of ill-conceived expectations by some
who wished to make a quick profit. Despite
this, he felt that the Internet was still "viable
and strong."
Suvi
Linden, Finnish Minister of Culture,
underscored the relationship between
electronic commerce and intellectual
property rights. "Electronic commerce
of digital content is the trade in rights," she
said. She reiterated that the protection
of intellectual property rights was vital
for simulating creativity, protecting
investments and recognizing the moral
interests of creators and inventors.
Speakers from companies around the world
are scheduled to speak at the conference
September 20
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