NEWS RELEASE
1 November 2002
Biggest International Conference in Wellington
The largest international conference ever held in Wellington, will see nearly 1000 patent attorneys from all over the
world, descending on the capital city for the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) Council Meeting on 3-6 November.
Totally Wellington estimates a conference this size will conservatively generate $4.5 million of economic activity for
the Wellington region. $800,000 has been budgeted for three evening functions alone.
Delegates from 51 countries have registered for the conference, including Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan,
Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, Pakistan, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Greece, India,
Bangladesh, United States, Spain and New Zealand.
President of the APAA New Zealand Group, and host of the Council Meeting in Wellington, Andrew Collins, Managing Partner
at A J Park, says organising such a huge international Council Meeting in Wellington has presented its logistical
challenges.
"The APAA Council Meeting will be using just about every available meeting and eating space of size in Wellington", he
said. Collins says the planning by conference organisers to host such a large international Conference in Wellington has
been immense, with attention to detail being paramount.
"In addition to the business part of the Council Meeting, we have an excursion day planned that gives delegates a choice
of 19 tours in the Wellington region. These range from golf, to quad bike adventures, yachting to jetboats, winery's and
Wairarapa excursions, Marlborough excursions, art and culture, farms and gardens", he said.
As well as using all the largest available meeting and eating venues in Wellington, the APAA Council Meeting will be
holding a "Taste New Zealand" dinner in the Botanical Gardens in the largest marquee ever erected in Wellington.
Designed to showcase New Zealand food and wine, the "Taste New Zealand" event has been carefully catered by Ruth Pretty
Catering.
Ruth Pretty says they wanted to showcase the best of New Zealand food and wine to this international audience, so much
thought has gone into matching top quality New Zealand food and wine.
"Delegates will be treated to different food stations serving things like whitebait fritters (100 kilos worth) with a
Chardonnay from Gisborne, new season asparagus (7000 stalks) with hollandaise sauce matched with a Marlborough Sauvignon
Blanc", she said. 2/
Another social highlight of the Council Meeting will be a Gala Dinner at the Queens Wharf Events Centre on 6 November,
featuring the Nelson Wearable Arts Awards show.
On the business side of the Council Meeting, the APAA is a group of approximately 1900 intellectual property attorneys
within the Asian region.
APAA - 47th Council Meeting, Wellington, New Zealand
Background
The Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) is a group of approximately 1900 intellectual property attorneys within
the Asian region. The Association's main objectives are to promote intellectual property law systems within the region,
focus ties of mutual understanding between those practising intellectual property law within our region and to consider
all manner of questions affecting intellectual property.
The intellectual property law systems within the Asian region cover a wide spectrum of development. We have high level
systems in countries such as Japan whereas in countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia intellectual property systems are
still being evolved.
APAA holds a meeting within one of the 15 member countries each year and Observers from around the world are also
encouraged to attend the meeting. Wellington is hosting this year's APAA Council meeting and with over 900 registrants
it will be the largest international meeting held in Wellington.
The work of the Association is undertaken through a committee system with committee's handling patents, trademarks,
designs, copyright and anti-counterfeiting issues.
All those committees will be reporting to the Council on their issues.
The Right Honourable Justice Gault DCNZM will moderate the Workshop Committee
The Headquarters of the APAA is in Tokyo and the current President of APAA is Mr Myung-Shin Kim (Mr Kim).
The President of the APAA New Zealand group is Mr Andrew Collins, Managing Partner of A J Park.
ENDS