Thirteen representatives of the Youth Ambassador Against Internet Piracy Scheme (YAS) departed Hong Kong today (December 28) for a three-day visit to Guangzhou to enrich their understanding of the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) in both Hong Kong and Guangdong Province by visiting IPR enforcement authorities, the IPR industry in the Mainland and young people in Guangdong Province.
The study tour was jointly organised by the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the Intellectual Property Rights Protection Alliance (IPRPA) with the support of the Intellectual Property Department (IPD). It is aimed at promoting respect for IPR and cultivating positive values among youngsters.
The 13 representatives, aged 15 to 18, are members of the YAS. They were awarded the study visit to Guangzhou with full sponsorship from the IPRPA after going through a selection process. The applicants first submitted their written proposals covering IPR enforcement, education and Hong Kong-Guangdong co-operation on IPR to their own youth uniformed groups. The youth uniformed groups then made their recommendations of applicants for a selection interview by a judging panel comprising representatives from the C&ED, the IPD and the IPR industry.
During their stay in Guangzhou, the representatives will visit the Guangdong Copyright Bureau, the Guangzhou Copyright Bureau, the Guangdong Sub-Administration of General Administration of Customs, Guangzhou Customs and various IPR institutions. They will also have dialogue with teachers and students from an intellectual property experimental secondary school to gain a comprehensive understanding of IPR protection in the Mainland.
After returning to Hong Kong, they will share their experiences with other members of their youth uniformed groups, friends and families to promote the importance of IPR in society.
The Acting Senior Superintendent of the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau of the C&ED, Ms Sandra Tam, said, "The C&ED is committed to protecting IPR. To tackle piracy and counterfeit activities, the C&ED has been collaborating closely with IPR holders and taking rigorous enforcement action at different levels. Apart from that, the C&ED, the IPD and stakeholders jointly organise various activities for the general public, especially on cultivating awareness of respecting IPR among youngsters. The study visit provides a good opportunity for our younger generation to deepen their understanding of IPR."
The Vice-Chair (Activities) of the IPRPA, Mr Sam Ho, said, "The promotion of creativity and the respect for IPR are very important for the long-term development of our society. Members of the IPR industry fully support the event and trust that the youth ambassadors will benefit from the study visit and contribute to the promotion of IPR."
The C&ED and the IPR industry established the IPRPA in 2004 with an aim to enhance collaboration between the department and the industry. Members of the Alliance come from various IPR-related organisations and professions. The IPRPA has also organised various activities to promote respect for IPR and to eradicate counterfeiting and infringing activities.
The YAS was established in 2006 by the C&ED with the support of the IPD and seven copyright owner organisations. Some 200 000 members of 11 local youth uniformed groups were recruited as members of the scheme. Apart from promoting and publicising the importance of protecting IPR, the youth ambassadors also help to monitor infringing activities on the Internet. They are encouraged to set a good example to others by refusing to get involved in infringing and counterfeiting activities and to share their values on IPR with their friends and families.
