The “Round Table” on the topic “Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property” took place in the State Intellectual Property Service building on June 15, 2010.

The leadership of departments and experts on intellectual property subject matters of the SIPS, scientists, representatives of interested state bodies and representatives of non governmental organizations, directly concerned with traditional knowledge, participated in the Round Table.

The event was opened by Mrs. Zina Isabaeva, Director of the SIPS KR, she highlighted the important role of traditional knowledge in our life and she expressed hope that this discussion will be a step to strengthen cooperation between traditional knowledge holders, non governmental sector and scientific community.

Mr. Abdykalil Tokoev, Head of Examination Department made a presentation “Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property”. In his presentation he noted that traditional knowledge, genetic resources and traditional expressions of culture in whole are intellectual richness of our people, he also informed that the first application was filed in 2009 for traditional knowledge registration. The first registered subject matter of traditional knowledge was an intellectual game “toguz torgol”. Mr. Tokoev told about database creation on traditional knowledge which has been remplished everyday from different sources.

Mr. Toktogul Azykov, Head of Selection Achievements and Traditional Knowledge Division, made presentation on digitalization of traditional knowledge and traditional expressions of culture, creation of digital collections and web-sites. Mrs. Anara Umralina, Head of Laboratory for Biotechnology of Plants, Institute of Biotechnology NAS also made a presentation about created data base “On medicinal riches of Kyrgyzstan”.

The “Round Table” participants noted that the Law on Traditional Knowledge Protection adopted in 2007 in Kyrgyzstan has given a base for keeping and efficient using of such important topic as traditional knowledge and achievements of traditional culture. But creation of efficient mechanism for this knowledge protection is needed.

At present time traditional knowledge gets ever-growing use in ecology, medicine and applied arts. At the same time, achievements of traditional culture, traditional knowledge and genetic resources more often become objects of piracy and illegal using. It causes anxiety and requires to unite all efforts of stakeholders to keep traditional heritage.

Moreover traditional knowledge subject matters entering to the system of intellectual property protection allows to get some privileges for owners. According to Mr. Abdusalim Chylymova, Chairman of Toguz Korgol Federation, thanks to registration of this national game as object of traditional knowledge, the Federation is able to represent game on international competitions and to obtain the first rank in the YIII World Olympiad of National Intellectual Games.

During the “Round Table” problems in the field of traditional knowledge legal protection, genetic resources and traditional expressions of culture were touched, which are should be included in the National Development Strategy on Intellectual Property.