Wednesday 7 January the European Commission launched the Creativity and Innovation European Year 2009. The initiative “Imagination, Creation and Innovation” seeks to face challenges caused by Globalisation. 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 a wide spectrum of related themes such as:

• 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

For further information:
http://create2009.europa.eu/