Brussels, 12/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - Culture is inextricably linked to creativity, which is itself the source of the innovation that Europe needs in these times of crisis. As part of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009, the Czech Presidency wanted the adoption of conclusions on culture as the catalyst of creativity and innovation, at the Education, Youth and Culture Council on Tuesday 12 May. The conclusions, adopted without debate, apart from an intervention from Portugal which raised the issue of how to encourage more young people to become involved in creative and cultural activities, note that culture and creativity contribute to the Lisbon objectives. They thus strengthen the attractiveness of European regions and cities and help revitalise local economies; they boost the economy by allowing new products and services to be designed and other ways of managing companies or responding to social needs to be developed. Member states undertook to further promote the potential of their cultural activities, to develop links between the cultural and creative sectors, to enhance synergies in this regard and to promote networking and exchange of experience.
The Council also officially designated Guimarães (Portugal) and Maribor (Slovenia as European Capitals of Culture in 2012, and Marseilles (France and Kosice (Slovakia) for 2013. Luxembourg and Romania were successful in the draw to select the two member states which will each put forward a candidate to sit on the selection panel and the monitoring and advisory panel in the period from 2010 to 2012. These two member states will select their experts who will be officially appointed by the Council in November 2009. (I.L./transl.rt)