Did you know April 26th is the 9th annual World Intellectual Property Day? The World Intellectual Property Organization and the international community observe this day to recognize the importance of intellectual property in our lives. This year’s theme is “Promoting Green Innovation,” which focuses on intellectual property (IP) and eco-friendly inventions. I’m a strong believer, with the twin threats of climate change and a global economic crisis, that we can innovate and benefit from intellectual property in new ways. With strong intellectual property protection, inventors have room to grow and create, and the results benefit all of us for generations to come. Tunisia has its own, home-grown example of green innovation! I read recently that Tunisian inventor Mejdi Nasri invented a low-cost cistern which reduced water consumption by 70 percent. After patenting his invention, he introduced it to the tourism industry by selling it to hotel chains. In a region with scarce water resources, Nasri’s invention was not only environmentally friendly, but fostered continued development of the tourism sector. What a great example of IP protection to help the environment and the economy at the same time! I hope you’ll join me on April 26th in observing this special day – take some time to look around you, and see all the benefits intellectual property protection has brought to your life.