On November 7, the 2024 International Symposium on Copyright Protection and Promotion of Folk Literature and Art was convened in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. Participants emphasized that the copyright protection of folk literature and art requires global attention and support, as well as enhanced international cultural exchanges and mutual learning, in order to reach consensuses and establish new international rules as soon as possible.

The symposium brought together nearly 300 Chinese and foreign representatives, including copyright and cultural officials from international organizations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and more than 20 countries, as well as representatives of rights holders, the industry, and the academia. Participants engaged in discussions on three main themes: "Regional, National, and Community Policies and Legislation on Intellectual Property Protection of Folk Literature and Art," "Experiences of Regions, Countries, and Communities in Utilizing Intellectual Property to Protect Folk Literature and Art, and Promote Economic Growth and Sustainable Development," as well as "International Intellectual Property Protection for Traditional Cultural Expressions: The Way Forward."

Since 2021, the National Copyright Administration of China has selected four provincial, 18 municipal, and 12 county-level regions in four batches as pilot areas for the copyright protection and promotion of folk literature and art. These regions have leveraged the unique advantages of local folk literature and art resources, sorted out the current status and needs for protection and inheritance, and engaged in the registration, promotion, copyright conversion and protection of folk literature and art. Moreover, they have cultivated copyright parks (bases) and demonstration units, established international copyright trading platforms, and developed copyright industries related to folk literature and art, thus further activating the value of folk literature and art copyrights.

At the end of 2023, Wenzhou became one of the second batch of pilot areas for the copyright protection and promotion of folk literature and art in China. So far, the city has sorted out more than 1,600 folk literature and art projects and electronically archived over 57,000 copyrighted works, achieving significant results in copyright confirmation, industrial development, and international promotion.

The symposium was co-hosted by the National Copyright Administration of China and the World Intellectual Property Organization(WIPO), and organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Copyright Administration, the Wenzhou Municipal People's Government, and the Copyright Society of China. An exhibition featuring graphics, texts, and physical objects was also set up at the venue, highlighting the progress of the national pilot work on the copyright protection and promotion of folk literature and art.