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Addressee: WIPO, DESA, Donors
Full Text
The Permanent Forum notes with appreciation the establishment of a Voluntary Fund by WIPO to enable the participation of indigenous representatives in the work of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, and encourages donors to contribute to the Trust Fund.
Responses
WIPO reports: “This new Fund facilitates the participation in sessions of the Committee representatives of indigenous and local communities and other customary holders or custodians of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, which are already accredited by the Committee. This Fund has so far received voluntary contributions from the Swedish International Biodiversity Programme and the Governments of France and South Africa. These generous donations enabled the Fund to finance the participation of eight representatives of indigenous and local communities and other customary holders or custodians of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions in the tenth session of the Committee, held in November 2006. The WIPO Voluntary Fund will also fund the participation of a further eight such representatives at the eleventh session of the Committee, to be held in July 2007. This means that funding has been provided for all applicants so far considered eligible by an independent panel, which includes indigenous representation. Full reports detailing the operation and management of this Fund, including information on the funds received, applications for funding received and decisions taken in this regard by the advisory board elected in terms of the rules of the Fund, are available on the WIPO website. The extent of support to be provided by the Voluntary Fund depends on the resources donated to it. Any potential donors are encouraged to contact the WIPO secretariat for further information. WIPO warmly welcomes the statement by the Forum at its fifth session that the Forum “notes with appreciation the establishment of a Voluntary Fund by WIPO to enable the participation of indigenous representatives in the work of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, and encourages donors to contribute to the Trust Fund.”
Final Report of UNPFII Session 5 (2006)
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