World Intellectual Property Organization
Overview
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world".
WIPO currently has 184 member states, administers 24 international treaties
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
, and is headquartered in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The current Director-General of WIPO is Francis Gurry
Francis Gurry
Francis Gurry is an Australian national and the fourth and current Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization . He is also Secretary-General of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants...
, who took office on October 1, 2008.