Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
Edward De Bono made EU creativity ambassador
The father of lateral thinking, Edward De Bono, has been appointed one of the ambassadors for the European Year for Innovation and Creativity, which will be celebrated next year.
The official announcement of Prof. De Bono's symbolic appointment will be made today by the European Commissioner for Education and Culture Jan Figel in Brussels.
The chosen 23 ambassadors are all high-profile personalities from the EU who share the aims of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation.
The list of ambassadors includes the Italian nobel laureate neurologist Rita Levi-Montalcini, known worldwide for her breakthrough research on nerve growth, Microsoft Internatonal president, Frenchman Jean Philippe Cortouis and the world-renowned expert on innovation and creativity Sir Kenneth Robinson from the UK.
Approved by the 27-EU member states earlier this year, the European Year for Innovation and Creativity aims at raising public awareness on the need of more creativity and innovation in the EU by disseminating information about good practices, stimulating education and research and promoting policy debate and change.
The activities should focus on creating an environment favourable to creativity and innovation and become a strong impetus for a long-term policy priority. Emphasis will be put on education across a wide range of subjects including mathematics, science and information and other technologies.
Malta will be holding its own activities during 2009 and a specific national coordinator has been appointed at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.
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martin portelli
Dec 5th 2008, 19:54
Seconded by the Maltese government was he ??
The mind boggles at what the Ministry of Education, that cradle of creativity and innovation has in store for lucky us next year. Keeping screechily mumm on Edward Debono's earlier proposal was a magnificent decision. Eagerly expecting next year's activities to overshadow Dr Debono;s brilliance, the expectation now is extremely high!
NB The bit about 'stimulating education and research ' makes one think of this year's budget vote for the University of Malta with a painful grimance.