Saturday August 19th is designated World Photo Day. It is commemorated all over the world to draw attention to the importance of this creative endeavour in the narratives of the evolution of human communities. CORA/Arterial Network and the CopyrightX Nigeria Alumni (CNA), a body of intellectual property experts who are graduates of the Harvard Law School Copyright X Distance learning programme are revving up plans in collaboration with the African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), to celebrate this year’s edition in Lagos – Nigeria. Activities will revolve around the theme “Photography and Copyright Issues” while guests are to be seated by 10AM prompt.
The event is no doubt strategic for ramping up awareness on one of Nigeria’s most potent creative endeavours. The organizers have made attendance at the event open to all photoholics (picture freaks), journalists and professional photographers who are expected to share images from various backgrounds and cultural milieus at the interactive session.
There would be avenue for panel discussions aimed to explore possible ways of protecting ownership of pictures with the use of digital watermarks and other safety measures that practitioners in Nigeria are yet to come to grasp with among other areas of enlightenment. There will be rich engagement with the question and answer segment which would shed more lights on possible grey areas.
Protem Chair of the Association Fola Martins says “I watch in dismay how pictures are hoisted on news sites and other platforms indiscriminately without attribution to right holders. It is an infraction on the intellectual property rights of the Authors of such works, both on moral and financial grounds. This among other germane issues, we intend to bring to the front burners at the commemoration of the World Foto Day in Lagos so Nigerians can raise the bar to meet up with global best practices on creative endeavours”.
A University Don on Intellectual Property, Dr.Ifeoma Shodeinde of the University of Lagos, Akoka, who is one of the Coordinators of the Alumni, declares “while we are striving towards parity with the developed world, it is high time intellectual property owners were given due privileges as guaranteed by the Copyright Acts of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria(LFN) and other treaties and conventions to which the country is signatory. Therefore, I see the occasion of the World Foto Day as an opportunity to disseminate knowledge so people are familiar with the degree to which they can exercise rights and take judicial action when such constitutional provisions are violated or threatened”.
The event will also feature photo shoots, exhibitions, short presentations and networking opportunities for old and up-coming photographers. Indeed, picture lovers will enjoy the prospect of exchanging relevant ideas on the field so everyone can scale up on their capacities and knowledge.
Founded in 2009 by Australian Photographer,Korske Ara, the World Photo Day is an international photography event, usually marked on August 19th every year, to celebrate the passion for photography throughout the world.
The event is being organised in Nigeria this year by the CNA under the aegis of CORA/Arterial Network in partnership with the African Artists’ Foundation.
