Opening address from Victoria Joukovskaia (European Parliament) to the participants of the II Art Forum

The II ART Forum

2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation: Implication of the European Parliament

Dear participants,

Each year the European Union chooses a theme for a campaign aimed at drawing public and governmental attention to a specific issue. Today Europe needs to boost its capacity for creativity and innovation for both social and economic reasons that is why the 2009 was proposed as the European Year of Creativity and Innovation.

The European Parliament strongly supports this cross-cutting initiative covering not only education and culture but also other policy domains such as enterprise, media and research. The House shares the Commission's view regarding the need for Europe to heighten its creative and innovative capacities and to step up Europe's potential to rise to the challenges and opportunities of globalisation.

In its resolution of 23rd September 2008, the European Parliament recalled the main objectives of the Year of Creativity and Innovation and emphasised the importance of all EU programmes that promote creativity and innovation.

Among specific objectives, the House pointed out the openness to cultural diversity as a means to fostering intercultural communication and the promotion of closer links between the arts, as well as with schools and universities. The Members of the European Parliament have also stressed the significance of creativity innovation and entrepreneurship for personal development, economic growth and employment, fostering entrepreneurial mindsets particularly among young people, through cooperation with the business world.

The Year to come will be very rich in events at different levels (European, national regional and local) and will stimulate in-depth reflexion on means Europe can implement to achieve better results in the field of innovation and creativity.

In this sense the II ART Forum bringing together representatives of the innovative and creative sectors from various countries surely contributes to reach the defined goals creating a platform for sustainable partnerships and enhanced transeuropean and international cooperation.

We wish all participants successful and fruitful work!

With warmest regards,

Victoria Joukovskaia
Policy Department B - CULT
Directorate-General for Internal Policies