[artinfo] (fwd) Intellectual Property Counter-Essay Contest

[Janos Sugar]

[also To: Protecting Knowledge <protecting_knowledge@yahoogroups.com>]

A note from: mailto:contact@wipout.net

Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Fellow Activists:

WIPOUT, an international organisation consisting of academics, artists,=
 musicians, and other activists, is today (Sept. 4) launching the
Intellectual Property Counter-Essay Contest on its website, www.wipout.net

The multi-lingual essay contest has been organised in response to the World
Intellectual Property Organisation's (WIPO's) own competition announced
earlier this year. The counter contest is intended to challenge the=
 over-protection of intellectual property (IP) which is doing much damage to=
 education, health care, the environment, and economic security for millions=
 around the world.

Entrants are being asked to address the same topic that WIPO has posed: WHAT
DOES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MEAN TO YOU IN YOUR DAILY LIFE? We expect the
counter-contest essays to be rather more critical than those that WIPO is
soliciting.

The website also has a space for shorter 'Point of View' pieces on the same=
 topic for those who have something to say, but do not want to write an essa=
y.

WIPOUT=EDs contest will continue from 4 September until 15 March 2002. The=
 winning essays will be chosen by an international panel of judges and the=
 results announced on 26 April 2002, the same day that WIPO announces the=
 winners of its contest. WIPOUT's prize fund currently totals =A31500.00=
 (approx. $US2100.00).

Unlike submissions to most essay contests, WIPOUT=EDs essays will be=
 immediately posted on the website and accessible to all readers, not just=
 the judges. And although WIPOUT is hosting a 'contest', we see the=
 competitive aspect of the contest secondary to the purpose of enabling a=
 public and critical debate on the over-protection of IP.=0F

More than 40 groups and individuals from 10 countries have, to date,=
 announced their support for WIPOUT. (A complete list can be viewed at=
 www.wipout.net) High-profile endorsers include Noam Chomsky, The Treatment=
 Action Campaign of South Africa, the Gene Campaign of India, British=
 barrister Michael Mansfield, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the=
 Center for the Public Domain in the US.

WIPOUT sees the contest as a way of building on recent high-profile issues=
 such as the South African anti-HIV drugs case, the growing protests against=
 the TRIPS agreement and the WTO, the Napster saga (and increasing=
 resentment against the high price of CDs), the arrest and charging of=
 Dmitry Skylarov, and public concern about GM crops and the patenting of=
 human genes and plants.

The essays can be submitted to WIPOUT in English, French, German, and=
 Spanish. A selection of initial essays, submitted for judging purposes or=
 for the shorter non-judged =ECpoint of view=EE section of the website, has=
 already been posted on the website.

Details of the WIPO contest can be found at:
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/alert/2001/ma03rev.htm

So what can you do?

=46irst, go and check our website, www.wipout.net, and look at the=
 contributions already posted. Then if you want to become a part of the=
 contest and join in the campaign against the over-protection of=
 intellectual property, you can:

1) Most obviously, write an essay or a 'Point of View' and submit it to=
 WIPOUT. It will then be posted on our website.
2) Become an official endorser of the competition.
3) Make a contribution to our prize fund.
4) If you run a website, put a link to WIPOUT on your site (a .jpg button=
 can be provided). We are happy to put a reciprocal link on our site.
5) If your group or organisation publishes a newsletter/magazine, mention=
 our launch. We have a launch essay we can supply for you.
6) Download the Wipout poster and put it up in your workplace, university,=
 school, or local shop.
7) Spread the word. Tell others who may be interested by forwarding them=
 this email. There are a lot of people in the world who are extremely=
 unhappy with the effects of the excessive protection of IP. Give them the=
 chance to say what they think

=46inally, keep checking www.wipout.net in coming weeks to read the new=
 submissions. It shows there are others who share your views and want to do =
something.

Our email address is: mailto:contact@wipout.net

The Intellectual Property Counter-Essay Contest www.wipout.net
Tell the world what you think