US embassy cable - 03AMMAN3863

UNCLAS AMMAN 003863 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USPTO for URBAN 
STATE PASS USTR for SAUMS 
USDOC for 4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/PTHANOS 
STATE PASS USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIPR, ETRD, EINV, JO 
SUBJECT:  JIPA Rolls Out Plans for Intellectual Property 
Week 
 
 
1. (U) The Jordanian Intellectual Property Association 
(JIPA) announced at a June 25 fund-raising breakfast plans 
for its upcoming Intellectual Property Week (IP Week) to be 
held in Amman, Jordan on August 11-14, 2003.  The weeklong 
workshop is the first of its kind in the region and JIPA 
hopes to make it an annual event.  Amongst other donors, 
the USAID-funded AMIR program financed the launch event. 
In addition to providing programmatic details, IP Week 
organizers solicited participants to sponsor events during 
the conference. 
 
2. (U) Academics, policy-makers, and industry leaders will 
gather at IP Week to address a variety of issues including: 
protection and enforcement; intellectual assets as a 
vehicle for economic growth and business expansion; 
knowledge management; compliance with international trade 
treaties.  Invited speakers include Jordanian government 
officials, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, World 
Intellectual Property Organization, USAID, and the 
International Intellectual Property Institute. IP Week will 
also showcase the key sectors of audiovisual products, 
anti-counterfeiting, books and publications, information 
technology and pharmaceuticals by holding a sideline 
exhibition of products and services. 
 
3.  (U) A brainchild of JIPA chairman Murad Bushnaq, IP 
week should serve to highlight Jordan's place at the front 
of the regional pack in the IPR protection arena.  The 
event, which will build on the buzz created by the World 
Economic Forum Extraordinary Meeting at the Dead Sea June 
21-23 (reported septels), may also signal to potential 
investors in IP-sensitive sectors that Jordan can provide a 
hospitable investment and operating environment. 
Organizers at the June 25 breakfast said they were already 
receiving expressions of interest from companies throughout 
the region, Europe, and the U.S., and expected a strong 
turnout for IP Week events. 
GNEHM