'I decide, I respect': educating younger generations to appreciate IP

The Peruvian IP Office (INDECOPI) reports than during 2013 and 2014, “a total of 50,000 students from various public and private schools of Peru received didactic training on the protection of copyright thanks to the educational program ‘I decide, I respect: rejection to smuggling and respect for intellectual property’”.

The program
The educational program is dedicated to students in their 4th and 5th year of secondary school. It aims to teach teenagers to appreciate, value and respect intellectual property and thus, reject piracy. By raising awareness the talks covers “the scope of copyright and the contribution of creativity and cultural industries to the country’s economic development.”

The program is supported by INDECOPI, as part of the Commission to Combat Piracy and Customs Crimes (CLCDAP). It involves designating key speakers who participate in the educational talks. Therefore, as INDECOPI has seen a success of this program, it has decided that by 2015 it would continue to impart more talks to more than 30,000 students nationwide. In fulfilling this goal, it reports that “during the first half of this year has managed to train 14,162 students, accounting for 47.20% of projections.”

The program goes in line with several campaigns brought by the INDECOPI in regards to the protection of intellectual property in general. Indeed, there is no point to have legislations in place when the society is not aware of what actually is protected, what and why it is wrong. I remember several years ago, in the era of hiring DVDs [cannot remember if I actually watched it on cinemas], a very powerful advertising called “You wouldn't steal a car...You wouldn't steal a handbag... Piracy. It's a crime.” The advertising indeed was making the audience aware of not just the issue (downloading movies) but actually what the crime was and comparing it to more visual situations such as stealing a car or a bag. Particularly I believe that the culture of a country plays a crucial role.

In previous posts I have indicated my astonishment when wanting to purchase a CD in my country and could not do so. In 2013 while visiting family members in Venezuela I wanted to bring back some CDs with traditional music and the only music shop that I could find (in a very nice shopping mall) was someone with a table placed in a corridor selling well presented CDs with covers but were actually not original. Of course, the streets are full of the so-called ‘informal marketplace’, fitted tight with tents and tables selling textiles, pirated music and films, electronics and all the likes. How do you combat piracy, when it appears to be the ‘normal’ economy of a country? I strongly believe that a well-educated society (in all aspect of life) is fundamental. SO well done Peru! every little helps.