Dubai Customs culminated its effort to support and sponsor talented children by establishing a strategic partnership with the 2016 International Children’s Film Festival, due to be start on this April 28th, under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.

The first government strategic partner of the famous International Children’s Film Festival thus far, Dubai Customs through its Intellectual Property Rights Department, in cooperation with the Festival organizing committee, has launched an Award for the best awareness movie on intellectual property rights filmed and produced by children.

This initiative comes to promote awareness and education of intellectual property rights among new generations, through the DC’s Annual Award for intellectual property rights at universities and schools.

On this occasion, Saeed Ahmed Al Tayer, Executive Director of Policies and Legislation Division at DC, said, "In pursuance of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, we are keen to strengthen our efforts and initiatives designed to stimulate creativity and innovation among children and new generations in all fields, particularly on protecting intellectual property rights, and addressing the risks and damage caused by counterfeit goods.' Al Tayer further stressed that DC is educating the new generations on the protection of intellectual property rights in light of the overall trend for our society to stimulate creativity and innovation. "Therefore, DC sought to participate in the International Children's Film Festival and offer an award to support community efforts for creativity and innovation."

For his part, Mr. Yousef Ozair Mubarak, Director of IPR Department, said, 'Among Dubai Customs’ efforts to disseminate intellectual property protection’s culture to all society segments, it organized 31 awareness-promoting events last year, benefiting more than 10,000 participants. Additionally, during 2015, and in cooperation with our private sector partners in the world's major companies, DC organized 5 workshops to train government inspectors' employees to detect counterfeit goods. These activities were attended by 184 participants from different customs departments, ministries, and government institutions both from the UAE and the GCC.' Furthermore, Mr. Ozair explained that the DC IPR Award includes six categories: The best awareness campaign, the best website, the best innovation or invention to protect intellectual property rights, participation in the Award through writing a book or a story about these rights, participation through a short play highlighting the risks of counterfeit goods, and preparing a short film on intellectual property rights. The ninth edition of the Award for academic year 2015-2016, focuses on linking protection intellectual property rights with stimulating creativity and innovation, in line with the UAE wise leadership initiatives for dissemination of innovation culture in the entire community.

Dubai Customs has supported efforts to inform and educate children to protect intellectual property rights through participation in the provision of awareness information in a simplified manner. This has also been achieved through the department’s contribution in Kidzania activities -Children's Interactive City in Dubai Mall- through organizing events geared for children.

The Dubai-based 'Film Studio' Company organizes the 2016 International Children's Film Festival, targeting children from 6 to 18 years old. The Festival was first organized in Dubai in 2015, with participations from within the state, where students produced over 160 films, and more than 460 films from more than 60 participating countries. Besides, more than 120 films were displayed on cinema screens throughout the emirates during the Festival period.

The Festival aims to educate schoolchildren through spreading the culture of producing high-quality films, which include a number of vital messages generally addressing society and individuals. The organizing committee selects the awareness messages annually taking into account the difference of substance from the previous year. The committee also honors the winners in the presence of leading community figures.

The festival events will kick off with the official opening ceremony on 28th of April 2016, and will continue until the closing ceremony on 7th May where there will be announcement of results and distribution of awards to the winning films and honoring sponsors and participants.

Source:WAM