23/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Association of Conservatoires (AEC) and the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA) organised the first arts-focused event of the European Year for Creativity & Innovation 2009 in Brussels on Tuesday 20 January. The event, which highlighted the value of the arts as a vector of creativity and innovation, was attended by EU Culture Commissioner Jan Figel, the chair of the European Parliament's Culture and Education Committee, Katerina Batzeli, and the Czech ambassador to the EU, Milena Vicenova. The official opening of 2009 as the year of creativity and innovation took place in Prague on 7 January 2009 (see EUROPE 9812). (I.L.)