Indonesia, WIPO Enhance Cooperation on Cultural Intellectual Property

RRI.CO.ID, Geneva – Minister of Culture Fadli Zon met with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Daren Tang in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, September 17, 2026, to discuss strengthening cooperation in the protection of culture-based intellectual property. The bilateral meeting covered the protection of Traditional Knowledge (TK), Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs), and the development of Communal Intellectual Property (KIK) that benefits communities.

Fadli said the protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions is a strategic priority for Indonesia, as it relates to cultural identity, respect for indigenous communities, cultural heritage preservation, and fair benefit-sharing.

“For Indonesia, the protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions is a strategic priority. It concerns cultural identity, respect for indigenous communities, preservation of cultural heritage, fair benefit-sharing, while also creating opportunities to develop the cultural economy and cultural industries,” Fadli said in a written statement received on Friday, September 18, 2026.

Fadli said Indonesia has developed a national protection framework through various regulations covering copyright, patents, cultural advancement, and Communal Intellectual Property. He also encouraged the 53rd Session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC GR-TKF) to make substantive progress toward an effective and legally binding international instrument for the protection of TK and TCEs.

The Ministry of Culture, through the Directorate of Facilitation of Culture-Based Intellectual Property, is also continuing to develop an ecosystem that connects protection, development, responsible utilization, and fair commercialization. In 2026, the Ministry of Culture is targeting the facilitation of 200 copyright registrations and 150 trademark registrations.

The government is also accelerating the integration of Indonesia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage into the National Communal Intellectual Property Data Center. A total of 226 intangible cultural heritage entries were integrated in 2025, increasing to 250 in 2026.

Meanwhile, Daren Tang welcomed Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening the protection of intellectual property derived from culture. He appreciated Indonesia’s documentation of Communal Intellectual Property, protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the development of an ecosystem connecting protection with economic utilization.

WIPO and the Ministry of Culture will explore more concrete forms of cooperation, including capacity building, strengthening KIK documentation and database systems, governance and valuation of culture-based intellectual property, and the development of utilization and commercialization models that continue to respect the rights and interests of communities that own the cultural heritage.

Fadli stressed that economic utilization must go hand in hand with cultural preservation, including by taking into account the characteristics of traditional knowledge and cultural expressions that are sacred, restricted, or confidential.

“Economic utilization must go hand in hand with cultural preservation. Culture-based intellectual property must provide fair benefits to communities without diminishing the values, identity, and rights of the communities that own and safeguard the heritage,” he said.