Ján Figel, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Training and Youth, comments: "Both creativity and the capacity to innovate are key human qualities - they are inherent to all of us, and we make use of them in many situations and places, whether knowingly or not. With this European Year, I would like to see that the citizens of Europe understand better that by promoting human talents and the human capacity to innovate, we can actively shape Europe for the better, to help it fully develop its potential, both economically and socially."

The public inauguration of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation will take place in Prague on 7 January 2009. Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso and the Czech Prime Minister, Mirek Topolanek, will attend alongside representatives from all EU member states.

(left to right)
Karlheinz Brandenburg (professor for Media Technology and director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT), Jordi Savall (concert performer, teacher and music researcher), Professor Edward de Bono (leading authority in creative thinking and innovation) and Ján Figel’ (European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Training and Youth)