RIYADH: The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property has launched a major awareness campaign to coincide with an international promotional event.

The government body has organized a range of activities to mark its first participation in World Intellectual Property Day, which this year is themed “Reach for Gold: IP and Sports.”

Events will be staged in shopping malls throughout the Kingdom with awareness messages promoted under the slogan “#I_respect_intellectual_property_rights.”

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, and symbols, names and images used in commerce. IP is protected in law by patents, copyright and trademarks which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create.

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property aims to organize, support, sponsor, protect and promote IP in the Kingdom in line with local and international standards, and in cooperation with other bodies has organized workshops and run social media and newspaper initiatives to push its messages.

Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al-Swailem, the authority’s CEO, said the agency was working with the World Intellectual Property Organization to celebrate international IP day and help promote a culture of protection and respect for IP rights by raising awareness in society.

This year’s “Reach for Gold: IP and Sports” campaign explores how innovation, creativity and the IP rights that encourage and protect them support the development of sport and its enjoyment around the world.

Business relationships built on IP rights help to secure the economic value of sports which in turn stimulates growth of the industry by financing events and promoting grassroots development of sports.