Under the National Theme, “Adding Value to Creativity for Wealth Creation in Liberia”, the Copyright Society of Liberia (COSOL), as the Secretariat of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO), has completed preparation for the observance of the ninth edition of the World Copyright Day, COSOL’s Executive Director, Prince Emmanuel Decker, has disclosed.
Decker pointed out that COSOL, in collaboration with Collective Societies of Liberia, will join hands with the rest of the world on the global theme, “Promote Reading, Publishing and Copyright”, to commemorate Saturday, April 23, 2022 as World Copyright Day. The celebration of the world’s 9th Copyright Day is in continuation of COSOL’s massive awareness initiative toward its licensing process.
As LIPO’s Secretariat, COSOL has the mandate to enter into license agreement with legal entities and the issuance of license certificate. This authority is captured in Title 24, Liberia Code of Law Revised referred to as the Liberia Intellectual Property Act of 2016.
The all-day celebration of Trade Fair for Literary and Artistic works, including books, movies, music, arts and Craft, in observance of the World Copyright Day, is slated for kickoff at 10:00 o’clock on Saturday morning, in the open space on Randall Street situated between Broad and Ashmun streets adjacent the Executive Pavilion.
The observance of the World’s Copyright Day will capture live performance by the Liberia Movie Union, the Liberia National Cultural Union, among several other players from Liberia’s creative sector.
As part of pre-celebration initiative of the World Copyright Day, COSOL has held series of sensitization and education activities with major players of Liberia’s artistic industry, the media and as well ministries, agencies and commissions (MACs) of the Government of Liberia (GoL). Commerce Minister Mawine Diggs will be the special guest of honor.
Foreign and local dignitaries, including stakeholders of Liberia’s Creative Industry, are expected to grace the occasion marking the activities in celebration of the day. The Political and Economic Counselor at the United States Embassy, Joel Kopp, will deliver the keynote address.
LIPO’s Director General, Cllr. P. Adelyn Cooper, will deliver a special remark in commemoration of the World’s 9th Copyright Day under the National Theme, “Adding Value to Creativity for Wealth Creation in Liberia”.
The Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Mamadou Lamine Sow, is expected to grace the occasion marking the observance of the World Copyright Day. Sow will also relay UNESCO Director General’s global message of the World Copyright Day’s celebration.
Established in 2009 through regulation LIPO/COSOL/CR/001/2019, COSOL served as the Collective Management Organization (CMO) in Liberia, which is charged with the exclusive duty for the collection and distribution of royalties for all creative arts.
The LIPO Act of 2016 that was passed into law by the 53rd Legislature gives LIPO the exclusive authorization to govern, control and regulate the generation, protection, commercial exploitation and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Liberia.