PACIFICSTREAM

Each year, the EU chooses a theme for a
campaign to draw attention to a specific issue.
2008 was dedicated to intercultural dialogue
with the slogan ‘United for diversity’ and 2009
will be devoted to Creativity and Innovation.
The EU has long recognised creative thinking as key to
success in a global economy. Innovation is an essential
part of both the commission’s climate change package
and its plan to revive the EU economy, now suffering
its worst downturn in decades. In this aim hundreds of
conferences, projects and exhibitions will take place
across Europe during the year, with the common objective
of raising awareness of the need for imaginative solutions
to today’s challenges.
In nowadays changing environment the motor of
development in the world is rapid innovation. As the
EU moves to a knowledge-based economy, it must develop
its potential for creativity. In particular, Europeans must
learn to embrace change and be receptive to different
strategies. According to the Edcution Commissioner
Ján Figel, this learning process must already begin in
schools, and traditional educational requirements shall
be mixed with new teaching concepts, like giving young
people ‘soft skills’, for example sense of initiative, etc.
The European Year of Creativity and Innovation has
the objective to raise awareness of the importance
of creativity and innovation for personal, social and
economic development, to disseminate good practices,
stimulate education and research, and promote policy debate and development.

The Year addresses the following themes:
· fostering artistic and other forms of creativity through pre-school,
primary and secondary education including vocational streams, as
well as informal education
· maintaining engagement with creative forms of self-expression
throughout adult life
· cultural diversity as a source of creativity and innovation
· information and communication technologies as media for creative
self-expression
· ensuring that mathematics, science and technological studies promote
an active, innovative mindset
· developing a wider understanding of the innovation process and a more
entrepreneurial attitude as prerequisites for continued prosperity
· promoting innovation as the route to sustainable development
· regional and local development strategies based on creativity and
innovation
· cultural and creative industries including design – where the aesthetic
and the economic coincide
· innovation in public and private services
Sources:
http://ec.europa.eu/news/eu_explained/081224_1_en.htm;
http://www.create2009.europa.eu/