The State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) has designated the winners of the 8th edition of the Contest in the Feld of Intellectual Property for Young People, organized in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova (MER), the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks of Romania (OSIM) and the Romanian Copyright Office (ORDA).

This year, the contest attracted great interest, with 88 registered participants, of which 48 were selected to continue in the second stage. Of these, 47 participants managed to accumulate the necessary points to advance in the competition. The final stage of the contest, held in a mixed format on August 15, included the presentation of 11 works developed by pupils on topics proposed by AGEPI. These works were presented by the participants and evaluated by the jury members, who decided the winners of the edition, as follows:

• 1st Place: Nicoleta Tomuz, 11th-grade pupil at the Theoretical Lyceum in Balatina village, Glodeni district;
• 2nd Place: Nica Novac, 9th-grade pupil at the Theoretical Lyceum “Mihai Eminescu”, Drochia town;
• 3rd Place: Valeria Banu, 10th-grade pupil at the Theoretical Lyceum “Mihai Eminescu”, Sudarca village, Dondușeni district.

The competitors received gift certificates from AGEPI for the purchase of electronic products and gadgets, as well as participation diplomas and promotional materials.

Traditionally, the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova came with cash prizes for seven of the participants of the final stage of the Contest.

At the ceremony announcing the winners, the Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, congratulated the participants. In his speech, he stressed the importance of supporting young people in the field of intellectual property: “Young people are the essence of progress, and your support in the field of intellectual property is a fundamental pillar for the future of innovation. Through this contest, we aim to develop and strengthen a culture of innovation, which will inspire you to explore, create and protect your creations. In you, the youth of today, we see the future, and I am convinced that through your work you will continue to make a significant contribution to the development and progress of our society. I hope that the experience gained in this contest has motivated you to follow your passions and make your contribution in innovative fields.”

The contest, now in its 8th edition, was launched on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day, marked annually on April 26, under the theme “IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity”, established by the World Intellectual Property Organization for the year 2024.

The aim of the competition is to promote the intellectual property system, raise awareness among young people about the phenomena of counterfeiting and piracy, develop young people’s knowledge and skills in IP matters, as well as their abilities and competitive spirit, create a communication environment between young people passionate about the field of intellectual property and foster the exchange of opinions and experience.