Sana'a - Saba:
The Copyright and Intellectual Property Sector of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism organized an intellectual seminar titled "Insights into Literary and Artistic Intellectual Property Rights" today at the Cultural House Hall in Sana'a.
The event coincided with World Book and Copyright Day on April 23 and World Intellectual Property Day on April 26.
During the opening, Dr. Ali Al-Yafai, Minister of Culture and Tourism, emphasized the importance of celebrating these occasions to promote reading and raise awareness about protecting rights, heritage, and civilizational legacy. He criticized the misappropriation of Yemeni intellectual property, stating, "Many Gulf states have unlawfully claimed Yemeni songs and heritage as their own, erasing their true origin."
Minister Al-Yafai urged the Copyright Sector to document violations of publishing rights and other intellectual property abuses, proposing solutions to address them. He affirmed Yemen’s commitment to safeguarding its creative works but highlighted challenges posed by external theft of heritage, manuscripts, and historical artifacts. "We will not tolerate these violations and will pursue the recovery of our stolen heritage," he declared.
Yemen, he noted, possesses a rich legacy in literature, poetry, and culture rooted in the civilizations of Himyar and Sheba, with enduring influence in Indonesia, East Asia, and the Horn of Africa. "No one can replicate millennia of history. Yemenis today continue to defend their identity and support the oppressed, as in Palestine," he added.
The minister called for forming a committee to inventory Yemen’s intellectual property losses and develop a recovery plan, stressing the urgency of protecting cultural assets from looting and misattribution.
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