Purpose & Content
Introduction
2009 has been named the Year of Creativity and Innovation by the European Commission under the motto 'Imagine. Create. Innovate'. The goal of this year is to focus more closely on the contribution that creativity and innovation make to economic prosperity and social and individual wellbeing. By focusing on this aspect of policy the European Commission hopes to create a favourable climate for innovation, flexibility and adaptability in a fast-changing world. In addition people need to become more aware of the importance of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship in personal development and economic growth. Another aim is to encourage this targeted talent and creativity at an early stage and to promote an innovative approach in different sectors – including education.
In this context, the Flemish Ministry of Education and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science came up with the plan to organise an international conference about cultural education in this European Year. The different departments involved in Flanders and the Netherlands share the vision that we need exchange and co-operation in order to secure a place for cultural and educational policy in European countries. The common intention is to give the conference a Europe-wide, policy agenda function.
Content
The main theme of the CICY conference is: The cultural development of children and young people in a changing Europe: Learning with and through culture. Three different approaches are important: the motives behind national policy on and the scale on which this policy is implemented; the instruments chosen for implementing the policy and finally evaluating the results of the policy and the policy instruments.
The core theme was further specified and explored within the following four sub‑themes:
- Youth policy, youth culture and cultural education
- Innovation in education and cultural education
- Citizenship and cultural education
- The educational role of teachers and educators
This approach helped identify the conflicting views within and among countries. (For further information, see Programme & Location.)
Publication
In preparation for the conference, the participants recieved a publication a few weeks before the conference. The key content of this publication comprises the content of the agenda for the conference; the framework of reference. Four substantial interviews with renowned specialists form the main part:
- Youth policy, youth culture and cultural education was discussed with Rupa Huq of Kingston University in London;
- Innovation in education and cultural education was discussed with Prof. Manuela Du Bois-Reymond, lecturer emeritus of the University of Leiden;
- Citizenship and cultural education was discussed with Prof. Wiel Veugelers of the University for Humanistic in Utrecht and
- The educational role of teachers and educators was described by Cees Klaassen of the Radboud University in Nijmegen.
A concluding article closes the publication. This article can also be read as the prelude to the conference.
