In October 1999, member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) approved, during its 26th General Assembly, the designation of April 26 as World Intellectual Property Day, with the first celebration held in 2000 across 59 countries. The date marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention establishing WIPO in 1970. The day promotes public understanding of the role intellectual property — from patents and trademarks to copyright and industrial designs — plays in encouraging creativity and innovation while protecting the efforts of inventors, artists, and entrepreneurs. It also highlights the close link between IP protection and economic growth, as legal incentives encourage creators to keep developing new ideas and products that benefit society. National IP offices, startups, and universities worldwide mark the occasion with seminars, innovation competitions, and awareness campaigns targeting young entrepreneurs and inventors, while WIPO sets a new theme each year.