2009: European Year of Creativity and Innovation
The intention of this movement is to draw attention to the significance of creativity and innovation in our own life, in society and in the economy. Europe could be strengthened in this 'global-contest' by helping those who have this smartness and utilizing their new, useful ideas. The success depends on the way we react on the continuous changing of our environment.
The up-to-par school system has a vital importance in developing people's creativity. Education should ready the new generations for living, and make them think smartly, innovatively and creatively to come up with new ideas in every situation.
At the same time, countries need more co-operation between the academic layers and the economic and governmental layers, as this is very rare phenomena nowadays, although innovation capacity depends on co-operation. In order to provide this synergy we have to strengthen the co-operation between universities, research centres and companies.
The European Year of Creativity and Innovation is an overall proposal, which covers many things: besides education it includes culture, enterprises, cohesive policies, the development of the countryside, research and development, architecture, audiovisual devices etc.
The main parts of the European year:
- Strengthening education in the arts, and developing creativity in elementary and secondary schools, professional practices and in both formal and informal education
- Helping creative forms of self-expression, even in adulthood
- Cultural diversity as the source of creativity and innovation
- Informational and communicational technologies as the media of creative self-expression
- Mathematics, natural sciences and technology as a supporter of active and innovative ways of thinking
- Supporting the widespread understanding of the innovative processes, the entrepreneurial idea and maintenance of standards of living.
- Innovation as the key to continuous development
- Regional and local development strategies based on creativity and innovation
- Innovation in the private and public areas
The aim of the Year is to make visible that the creativity of kids can influence their personalities, and that it makes somebody capable of being flexible, adapting easily to new conditions and to the continuously changing expectations of the labour market. It shows how much mood can influence self-development, and how it can help the successes of companies and enterprises and economic growth. It has a point on connecting art with educational institutions and businesses and encouraging organisations to use the creative capacity of their employees.
In Hungary the Tempus Public Foundation is the local co-ordinator of the year. Besides the countrywide initiations there are numerous local and regional projects in the program. During the year there will be exhibitions, theatrical meetings, talent shows, several professional conferences and workshops, "movie musters", radio programs, brochures etc.
The schedule is presented on the internet, and contains the official local programs and tenders as well. The site is continuously expanding with news, project presentations, interviews, book recommendations and with many other interesting things.
The event has a European site too.
Katalin Horváth