Book targets teenagers to inspire creativity, promote awareness

A novel aimed at promoting innovation and intellectual property awareness was launched during an open house event of the State Intellectual Property Office last week.

The book, entitled I Am Also An Inventor, is targeted at teenagers in the hope of fostering scientific knowledge and creativity.

A product of SIPO's Intellectual Property Publishing House, the work of fiction tells the story of a young inventor named Lele who finds creative solutions to many of life's little problems.

"The IP publishing house takes the responsibility of pushing communications in the field of culture and IP, and cultivating teenagers' creativity, contributing to the construction of an innovative country," said Chu Mingang, president of the publishing house.

The book is designed to inspire people at a young age to help advance China's progress in becoming an IP powerhouse and an innovative country, he added.

Zheng Yuanjie, a well-known author in China, said that children's curiosity and imagination are important factors in creation and innovation.

To invent is to create IP, said Zheng, adding that no one would devote themselves to creating and inventing things if it were not for IP.

"As a fairy tale writer, I think we should set an example for teenagers to have copyright awareness, and enabling them to learn how to protect IP is crucial in their education," he added.

By using soft power we can create a strong foundation for the understanding of IP, Zheng said. "Turning 'made in China' into 'created in China' should start with children."

The launch was part of a SIPO open house event which attracted about 300 IP service providers, innovative businesses' representatives and primary school students.

SIPO Commissioner Shen Changyu said during the event that his group has joined hands with the Ministry of Education to launch several pilot programs in IP education.

To date, SIPO and the ministry have designated 112 pilot demonstration schools nationwide. Provincial authorities have named nearly 1,000 pilot demonstration schools.

"We want to spread IP knowledge through every student, every family and enable it to play a role in society," Shen said.

(China Daily 05/03/2018 page17)