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TIP Launches Giving Back Project in Guatemala
6 January 2009
Experts from The Innovation Partnership (TIP) recently travelled to Huehuetenango in Guatemala to hold a capacity building program aimed at empowering indigenous people in the region. This project was TIP's first Giving Back project, which helps underserved communities around the world improve their understanding, use, and management of intellectual property policies.
After numerous conversations with our partners in the region, our experts held a tailored capacity building program for approximately 20 participants, including local lawyers, members from the community organizations involved - Asociación CEIBA and Campesino Unity Committee (CUC), representatives from the indigenous communities themselves, as well as agronomists. The aim was to share knowledge with key players about intellectual property and traditional knowledge. The program was a success and we are looking forward to follow-up collaborations in the future.
A statement released from the organizations involved reads as follows:
"A finales de noviembre, miembros de TIP viajaron a Huehuetenango, Guatemala para reunirse con gente de CEIBA, CUC y lideres comunitarios. Durante esa estancia de 4 días, se discutieron temas de propiedad intelectual y conocimiento tradicional. El propósito fue abrir una discusión sobre sus preocupaciones y metas relacionadas con una serie de plantas medicinales y prácticas culturales para identificar y generar posibles estrategias de protección que permitan salvaguardar ese conocimiento y al mismo tiempo asegurar que los beneficios obtenidos de esa actividad les sean compartidos."
Roughly translated, this says:
"At the end of November, members of TIP traveled to Huehuetenango, Guatemala to meet with members of CEIBA and CUC (both local organizations aiming to empower indigenous peoples in the region) as well as community leaders. Over four days, TIP presented information about intellectual property and traditional knowledge. The goal was to facilitate a discussion about the community's concerns and goals in relation to medicinal plants and cultural practices in order to identify potential benefit-sharing agreements."
To access the full report in English click here.
To access the full report in Spanish click here.
For more information please contact Tal Srulovicz at tsrulovicz@theinnovationpartnership.org.