Autorskola Launched – an Educational Platform for Learning about Copyright and Related Rights
Published: 19.04.2022
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On 13 April, Autorskola – an educational platform for school students and teachers to learn about copyright and related rights – was officially launched at the Riga Secondary School of Design and Art (RDMV). The project is implemented by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Latvian Performers’ and Producers’ Association (LaIPA) and the Copyright and Communication Consultancy Agency/Association of Authors of Latvia (AKKA/LAA), with funding from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
“I am convinced that Autorskola will make a significant contribution to shaping children’s and young people’s understanding, as future creators of original works, of the essence of copyright and related rights and the protection of intellectual property rights,” said Minister of Culture Nauris Puntulis. At the opening event, the minister stressed that the Autorskola project is only the first step towards building awareness, while regular work with young people and regular educational programmes in schools are needed going forward. “Through Autorskola, we will have laid the foundations, provided the most important information and ensured methodological materials for teachers working with young people. For young people, meanwhile, the autorskola.lv website will serve as an information repository and a source of practical advice, explaining in simple language what copyright and related rights are, what intellectual property is and how to ‘use’ this property,” N. Puntulis stated.
At the launch of Autorskola, LaIPA Executive Director Liena Grīna said: “Copyright and related rights are the cornerstone of the development of the entire creative industry, regardless of the field of creative activity in which an artist, musician, composer or writer works. And I sincerely hope that the materials and educational activities offered by Autorskola throughout Latvia will provide the solid foundation on which our younger generation can build its creative development,” Liena Grīna said.
“Our Autorskola project is essentially the first serious attempt to collect in one place and, more importantly, explain information about copyright and related rights,” said AKKA/LAA Council Chair and musician Kārlis Kazāks, adding that the use of works by authors and performers, producers’ rights and other important issues in this field should be explained from the very beginning of schooling: “Unfortunately, even more than 30 years after Latvia joined the European legal system, we still have to explain on a daily basis why copyright must be protected, how creative people can receive appropriate remuneration for the works they create and why such rights and legislation are necessary in the first place. Therefore, the educational programme initiated by Autorskola, to be taught and explained in schools, is urgently needed. And, of course, we hope for the interest and engagement of educational institutions and teachers,” Kārlis Kazāks said, expressing hope for close cooperation between Autorskola and schools.
Ahead of the project’s launch, an art and design competition was held at RDMV, in which students created works using various techniques on the themes of Autorskola and copyright protection. A total of 23 works were created by 43 school students. The competition winners were presented with awards at the opening event.
“I am pleased that Autorskola began right here at the Riga Secondary School of Design and Art,” said RDMV Director Alvis Līdaks, commenting on the school students’ enthusiasm for taking part in Autorskola’s creative competition. “The name of our school alone shows that we are the right audience for this project; however, I am convinced that RDMV is only a ‘pilot project’ for much broader activities and the involvement of young people throughout Latvia and in all Latvian schools. The active participation of our school’s students in the competition proves that such a project is needed,” Alvis Līdaks concluded. LaIPA Executive Director Liena Grīna, meanwhile, promised that a creative competition within the framework of Autorskola would soon be announced for creative school students throughout Latvia.
As part of the Autorskola project, seminars for teachers are planned in various regions of Latvia. Extensive teaching and methodological material has been developed for teachers in a visually accessible format, in accordance with the standards of basic education and the state general education programme. Children and young people, meanwhile, can learn about the topics through simple explanations of copyright and related rights, supplemented by interactive games and videos in which well-known Latvian authors, performers and producers share their experiences regarding the protection of copyright and related rights.
All media outlets, educational institutions and other interested parties who support the objectives of the project “Educational Campaign to Promote Awareness of Copyright and Related Rights among Young People” are invited to contact the project implementers to begin cooperation.
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