Dubai Customs celebrates World Intellectual Property Day 2022

Dubai Customs organized its annual IP celebration on the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day 2022 under the theme IP and Youth Innovating for a Better Future' at the Museum of the Future. 

H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, H.E. Ahmad bin Lahej Al Falasi, Acting Director General of the Customs - Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, H.E. Saeed Al Nazari, Director General of the Federal Youth Authority, Mrs. Kawthar Al-Khorousi, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Murr, Vice President, Emirates Intellectual Property Association (EIPA) attended the event. 

 The event was also attended by Ms. Sophia Brecknell - Deputy Ambassador, British Embassy, H.E.  Frank Eggmann – Switzerland’s Consul General in Dubai, H.E.  Li Xuhang  - China’s Consul General in Dubai, representatives of foreign diplomatic missions in Dubai, and Dubai Customs’ executive directors and heads of customs departments and centers.

In his opening speech, Musabih said; “There is no doubt that protecting intellectual property rights is one of the main facilitators of creativity and innovation, and a major catalyst in helping the youth develop their skills and competencies. Across the globe, young people are stepping up to innovation challenges, using their energy and ingenuity, their curiosity and creativity to steer a course towards a better future. 

Therefore, the UAE pays much attention to protecting intellectual property rights to enhance the ability of individuals and companies to benefit from the youth’s ideas and innovations, and at the same time protecting the society from the hazards of counterfeit goods.

The UAE joined the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 1975. The country has made great progress in supporting the trade and investment environment by helping trademark owners tackle and prevent counterfeit goods, following the directives of our wise leadership to support international trade and investment to consolidate the country’s position as a major global center for traders and major international companies.” 

Musabih added; “The UAE’s unparalleled success in hosting Expo 2020 Dubai, which received 24 million visitors, is a stepping-stone for the UAE to compete for global leadership in international trade and investment, inspired by ambitious plans including the fifty projects that define new paths for economic growth during the next fifty years. Dubai Customs shoulders the country’s efforts and plans to empower young people and help them be an active part of economic achievements. For this, the Department focuses on awareness and organizes activities for school and university students around the importance of intellectual property and its role in protecting the society and the rights of inventors and creators.” 

Last year, Dubai Customs organized 11 IPR awareness activities for schools and universities, and 8 for the community. The government organization also organized 10 awareness workshops in cooperation with trademark owners to help inspectors identify counterfeit and genuine goods. In total, there were 29 initiatives that benefited 2,400 participants from different segments. 

In the first quarter of this year, Dubai Customs organized five awareness activities, which targeted 500 schools and university students. Dubai Customs has launched the Dubai Customs Intellectual Property Award 2021-2022 for schools and universities to encourage and celebrate creativity.  The award was launched first time in 2007, and since then it has seen the participation of around 31,000 students from 188 schools and 13 universities.

Musabih concluded; “Our partnership and fruitful cooperation with partners and trademark owners has led to noticeable advancement in protecting intellectual property rights. We tackle all attempts to smuggle counterfeit goods into the country through the emirate’s ports. The Department solved 390 IP disputes, with an estimated value of AED15 million in 2021. Around 2.1 million counterfeit items for 221 brands were recycled. We will keep the momentum in this regard. Protecting intellectual property rights is a priority and raising awareness around its importance will help curb this counterfeiting rogue industry and safeguard our society from its hazards in support of trade and investment activity in the country.” 

In the first quarter of 2022, Dubai Customs solved 85 IP disputes, with an estimated value of AED 24 million, and around 254,000 counterfeit items for 27 brands were recycled.

Yousef Ozair Mubarak, Director of IPR Department delivered The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)’s speech, which highlighted the role of intellectual property in nourishing creativity and innovation. WIPO’s statement focused on the great potential the youth has, which, if supported and encouraged, can play a vital role in the advancement of the planet. 

The statement went on saying “To mark youth-led innovation and creativity, the theme for World IP Day 2022 is ‘IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future.’ Young people are gearing up to tackle new innovation challenges and using their energy, ingenuity, curiosity and creativity to lead the world towards a better and more sustainable future. The World IP Day 2022 is an opportunity for the young people to discover how intellectual property can support their dreams and objectives and help them materialize their ideas.”

With intellectual property rights, young people have access to some of the basic tools they need to advance their ambitions. They will be able to gain a better understanding of how the tools of the intellectual property system – trademarks, design rights, copyright, patents, plant variety rights, geographical indications and trade secrets and others - to support their ambitions to build a better future.

In his statement, H.E. Saeed Al Nazari, Director General of the Federal Youth Authority highlighted the role of young people in creation and innovation, and how protecting intellectual property rights can help them think freely and come up with disruptive innovations. 

He said the Federal Youth Authority has developed a number of initiatives to help in nourishing innovation and protecting intellectual property rights. His Excellency presented a future view of the development of the role of youth in presenting new ideas and innovations, calling for enhanced cooperation between the Federal Youth Authority and Dubai Customs to support intellectual property rights and encourage innovation.

In the ceremony, participants watched a film on Dubai Customs’ role in protecting intellectual property rights. H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation honored the Organization’s partners in protecting intellectual property rights. H.E. Saeed Al Nazari was honored as the Person of the Year. Abdul Rahman Al-Muaini, Secretary General of the Emirates Intellectual Property Association, Soud Al Aqroubi, Director of International Relations at Federal Customs Authority and Lawyer Mahbooba Baqir. Sea Customs Management, Air Cargo Centers Management, Customs Intelligence Department, Customs Cases and Investigation Department and Dubai Customs innovators’ Saeed bin Faris, Mohammed Al-Khanjari and Hussain Al-Fardan were honored. 

 and awarded schools and universities that won the Dubai Customs Intellectual Property Award for Schools and Universities. Wasit Youth Center-Sharjah won the first place for their environmentally friendly garbage station, which were innovated by Moza Eisa Khalifa Al-Mazroui, Rayyan Mohammed Ali Al-Mazmi, and Ahmed Jamal Al-Jasmi. Kalba Youth Center came second for their electric car-charging project, which were done by Zayed Ali Al-Qaidi. In the third place came Al Qudwa School for their green school project, which was created by Seif Khalalf Al-Zaabi. Al Majd Model School won the fourth place for their Advance Rov Project, which was done by Saif Hassan Ibrahim, Ahmed Yassir Mohammed and Mustafa Jamal Al-Jasmi.