WIPO Traditional Knowledge

Who’s behind WIPO’s Traditional Knowledge Division? Meet the team 😊

Bringing together experiences and perspectives from a variety of countries and backgrounds, our team has one shared commitment: to support Indigenous Peoples as well as local communities in protecting, sharing, and benefiting from their traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.

Our work ranges from supporting global negotiations on intellectual property and traditional knowledge to engaging directly with and bringing together communities, artists, and entrepreneurs.

Teamwork and inclusive listening are central to everything we do. By learning from each other and from the communities we work with, we better understand Indigenous perspectives and can more effectively support community-based projects and livelihoods – encouraging respectful use of traditional knowledge.

Learn more about our work: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/traditional-knowledge

📸 Photo: WIPO/Berrod

What is a “custodian” of traditional knowledge? 🌿

A custodian is often understood as someone who guards or protects. In the context of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, the term has a deeper meaning: Custodians are communities, peoples or individuals who, according to customary laws and practices, maintain, use, develop, and pass on traditional knowledge and cultural expressions.

Their role is not about ownership. It is about responsibility, care, and ensuring that knowledge is used in ways that respect community values and customary law.

Gaining a clear understanding of terms like this helps us better appreciate how traditional knowledge is respected and safeguarded.

Explore more terms in WIPO’s glossary: https://shorturl.at/eWotm