IP | MRIC Newsletter2026

World Intellectual Property Day

The World IP Day is celebrated each year on April 26th. This event coincides with the date on which the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) entered into force in 1970. World IP Day celebrates creativity and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of economies and societies across the globe.

World IP Day 2025 - IP and music: Feel the beat of IP

For the year 2025, the theme chosen by WIPO was "IP and music: Feel the beat of IP”. In this context, the MRIC organized a seminar to mark World IP Day 2025 (which was held on the 2nd May and opened in the presence of Dr the Hon K S Sukon, Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research), to highlight how the combination of creativity and innovation, backed by IP rights, keeps the music scene thriving for the benefit of everyone. Through a series of interventions by local and international speakers, the aim of the seminar was to explore how IP rights and innovation policies support creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs to bring fresh ideas to the music industry, safeguarding the work of songwriters, composers, performers, and all those who shape music. The opportunity was also given to showcase local musical creativity and talent.

The list of speakers and their presentations were as follows:

Mr V N Boodhun, Director of Culture, Ministry of Arts and Culture, Mauritius -
The Music Sector in Mauritius: Existing Framework & Challenges.
Mr J J Arjoon, Member of the Mauritius Society of Authors, Mauritius - La propriété intellectuelle et la musique à l’épreuve de l’économie digitale.
Associate Prof Dr A S Peruman (OSK), Head, Centre for Technology Enabled Learning (CTEL), Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Mauritius - Innovation and Challenges for emerging artists in a fast‒evolving society.
Dr V Jha, Registered Patent and Trademark Attorney, Founder and CEO, V Juridique, India - AI, Music and IP: Navigating the new frontier.
Dr C A Chukwuji, Chief Executive, PurpleBlue Entertainment Solutions, National Coordinator of the Record Label Proprietors Initiative, Nigeria - Monetizing Music IP: New Frontiers in the Digital Economy.
Ms A Joffe, Associate Researcher, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and UNESCO Chair in 'Entrepreneurship and Cultural Policy, South Africa - Sustainable livelihoods in the Music Ecosystem in the Global South: balancing innovation and entrepreneurship; informality and copyright.
Ms C Rowlatt, Head of International, Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL), UK -The Power of Collective Management: how music licensing promotes creative development

World Intellectual Property (IP) Day 2026 - IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate

For the year 2026, the theme chosen by WIPO brought into focus IP and sports, celebrating the creators, inventors, and entrepreneurs whose passion and ideas drive the future of sports.

The MRIC workshop marking World IP Day 2026 (which was held on the 8th June and opened in the presence of Dr the Hon K S Sukon, Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research) explored how athletes and start-ups can leverage IP to protect their ideas, how brands grow through strong trademark strategies, how technology breakthroughs are protected and commercialised, and how sports organizations build lasting value for fans and communities.

Organisation of the workshop benefitted from the support of WIPO, the European Patent Office, the British Council and the United States Patent and Trademark Office in identifying international speakers, who joined online for their presentations.

The list of speakers and their presentations were as follows:

Ms Carol Simpson, Officer-in-Charge, Division for Latin America and the Caribbean, Department for Development Cooperation, Regional and National Development Sector, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) - Keynote address: The Power of IP in the World of Sports.
Dr Muhammad Zaheer Abbas, Chief Investigator, Australian Centre for Health Law Research and Lecturer, Faculty of Business and Law, Queensland University of Technology, Australia - Copyright, broadcast and digital media rights in sports.
Mr Thierry Schmitter, Examiner, Marine Engineering, Team Naval Engineering & Coating (1009), European Patent Office, Netherlands - Innovation and Patents in Aquatic Sports.
Mr Zameer Janoo, Sports Officer, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mauritius - Recent developments and initiatives in sports in Mauritius
Ms Louise Jukes (OLY), Sports Partnerships Strategist, Consultant and Olympian, UK - IP and sustainable sports development: Shaping the future of women’s sports rights.
Ms Juliana Fuchs, Counsel Brand Protection, PUMA SE, Germany - Technological innovation and sports equipment: Protecting brands in the digital age.
Mrs Alexandra Willis, Chief Digital Officer, The Football Association, UK - Future trends - IP and the next generation of sports.

By Dr N Gopaul