Israel's IP as Diplomacy
I have had the pleasure this past week to be traveling in Israel, lecturing at Hebrew University and touring the country. As part of the trip, I have been trying to get a better understanding of both Israel's intellectual property laws and its approach to technology.
Recently, David Shankbone wrote a blog entitled "In the Israeli desert there is life."
Also today, I visited the Herzl Museum with my family. This interactive museum and movie provided an excellent introduction to the father of Zionism and the Nineteenth century vision of the Jewish state. At the end of the film, a projection of Herzl acknowledged that Israel continues to struggle to win peace with its neighbors and reconcile its relationship with Arabs both inside and outside the nation. But the Herzl personification also described the tremendous technological innovations of Israeli industry and the role Israel is playing in draught relief, food production, power infrastructure and communications as assistance for African nations and leadership around the world.
Thinking about the role of technological innovation as a diplomatic tool occurs too infrequently. The Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center reportedly reinvests all proceeds from its solar technology into research to further the efficiency and cost reductions needed to make the solar power available to people all over the world. It reminds me of Benjamin Franklin's decision to eschew the patent for his high-efficiency wood stove as a public benefit. The choice was highly regarded and earned him adoration.
In the same way, Israel's technological innovation makes it a leader among industrial nations. More importantly, its focus on clean water, renewable energy and other problems of the third world create the opportunity for the nation to improve the quality of human life around the globe. Such successes rarely earn headlines and the impact may be hard to measure. Nonetheless, it is a lesson in IP diplomacy that all countries should follow.
Recently, David Shankbone wrote a blog entitled "In the Israeli desert there is life."
Also today, I visited the Herzl Museum with my family. This interactive museum and movie provided an excellent introduction to the father of Zionism and the Nineteenth century vision of the Jewish state. At the end of the film, a projection of Herzl acknowledged that Israel continues to struggle to win peace with its neighbors and reconcile its relationship with Arabs both inside and outside the nation. But the Herzl personification also described the tremendous technological innovations of Israeli industry and the role Israel is playing in draught relief, food production, power infrastructure and communications as assistance for African nations and leadership around the world.Thinking about the role of technological innovation as a diplomatic tool occurs too infrequently. The Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center reportedly reinvests all proceeds from its solar technology into research to further the efficiency and cost reductions needed to make the solar power available to people all over the world. It reminds me of Benjamin Franklin's decision to eschew the patent for his high-efficiency wood stove as a public benefit. The choice was highly regarded and earned him adoration.
In the same way, Israel's technological innovation makes it a leader among industrial nations. More importantly, its focus on clean water, renewable energy and other problems of the third world create the opportunity for the nation to improve the quality of human life around the globe. Such successes rarely earn headlines and the impact may be hard to measure. Nonetheless, it is a lesson in IP diplomacy that all countries should follow.
