Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Vietnam National Institute for Culture and ArtsStudies (VICAS) and the British Council will work together on a project tostrengthen intellectual property enforcement in Vietnam.

The project will begin from October 2020 to September 2021 and will engage withgovernment departments and offices working in intellectual property in arts andculture, as well as artists and creatives.

“It will help to create more opportunities for arts and culture to grow andbenefit many artists, creators, as well as the general audiences and consumersin the creative and cultural economy in Vietnam,” said Dr Bui Hoai Son,Director of VICAS and also head of the project.

The project also aims to build capacity for the sectors to tackle challengessurrounding intellectual property rights, he said.

It is made possible with the support of the UNESCO’s International Fund forCultural Diversity (IFCD), within the framework of the UNESCO 2005 Conventionon the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

The project hopes to build a shared understanding and practical intelligence ofVietnamese intellectual property legislation for the cultural and creativesectors, to strengthen institutional capacity in intellectual propertyprotection for the cultural and creative sectors through training for relevantofficials, and to improve understanding and practice surrounding intellectualproperty protection in the cultural and creative sectors through workshops forartists and creators.

The project also aims to help change the perception, understanding andpractices of all those involved in the production, distribution and managementof cultural and creative products and services to ensure intellectual propertyrights protection and respect to artists and creators.

The implementers wish to work closely with the Copyright Office and theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in designing and implementing relevantactivities, particularly in reviewing current legislation on intellectualproperty in Vietnam and developing a guide toolkit for officials in the artsand culture sectors.

VICAS and the British Council, as partners in multiple projects and programmesin support of the development of the arts and culture in Vietnam, are committedto working closely with artists and creative practitioners in this project.

Under the project, Vietnamese artists and creators will gain knowledge andskills to protect themselves and their creations against intellectual propertyviolations through practical workshops, as well as dialogues and access torelevant governmental management levels and support agencies./.