European clubs became the first to celebrate the start of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation (2009) in Ukraine. After the presentation of the Year, which was attended by representatives of the Czech Republic and the European Commission, Euroclubs participated in a workshop on creativity and innovation on 12-14 January in Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine.
 

Around 33 members of Euroclubs from different corners of Ukraine, selected among active participants of the project "Supporting the Network of Euroclubs in Ukraine", took part in the national workshop. The Project, which is aimed at further development of capacity and support of network activity among Euroclubs, and at involving them into European initiatives, is implemented by the Ukrainian European Studies Association with the support of the Delegation of the European Commission in Ukraine. Main topic of the Project – "creativity and innovation" – is related to the the European Year of Creativity and Innovations (EYCI), proclaimed in the EU for 2009. The creativity workshop for Euroclubs was first of its kind in Ukraine and instrumental in distributing knowledge and skills related to creative and innovative activity among Euroclubs, gave them a possibility to exchange the best practices and jointly plan further work of their national Network.
 

The official opening of EYCI took place on 7 January in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, which now holds the presidency in the EU. In Ukraine presentation of the European Year was held on 12 January in the city of Dnipropetrovsk, with the assistance of the Department of External Relationships and Foreign Economic activity of Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration (RSA) and General Department of Public Service of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region.

 

The presentation was attended by representatives of active Euroclubs of Ukraine, General Consul of the Czech Republic Antonin Murgash, adviser of the Head of Dnipropetrovsk RSA Mykola Sitnik, Press and information officer at the Delegation of the European Commission in Ukraine Stanislav Topolnitsky, Vice-president of the Ukrainian association of the European studios Serhij Zagorodnyuk, leaders of the Regional Branch of the European Business Association, representatives of local community, teachers and researchers, as well as members of the regional press. Best Euroclubs received certificates and prizes for their participation in the competition within the project. Prizes included the Rubik's Cube – world's famous puzzle by the Ernő Rubik, a Hungarian inventor and Ambassador of the European Year.
 

The workshop lasted 3 days, 12-14 January, and was held in the picturesque corner of the Dnipropetrovsk region, where Euroclubs gathered, to get acquainted with the good practices of development of creative potential, skills and techniques of creative and innovative activity. The team of trainers of Ukrainian European Studies Association made the process of mastering the methods of development of creative thinking, and producing innovative ideas for future Euroclubs' projects very interesting both for the coordinators of Euroclubs and for their youngest participants. One of the methods which the participants liked most, was the "Six Hats", invented by the professor of psychology Edward de Bono, another Ambassador of the European Year.

 

The atmosphere created on the workshop helped Euroclubs realize themselves as a single network and begin the planning of future joint activities. As one of the youngest participants of the Workshop, Svitlana Voronchuk (14 years, Euroclub "Eurotour", town Turbiv, Vinnytsya region), remarked: "Until now, I thought that other Euroclubs were our competitors, but once we talked here, I understood that they were our friends".

 
Further activities within the project "Supporting the Network of Euroclubs in Ukraine" will include regional trainings and fairs of creativity and innovations, and also projects of Euroclubs, which will be supported through a competition to be announced soon.
 

For more information about the project please refer to Sergiy Shtukarin, Project coordinator, tel.: +38 (050) 917 26 11, e-mail. For additional information please refer to Stanislav Topolnitsky, Press and information officer at the Delegation of the European Commission in Ukraine, tel.: +38 (044) 390-8010, e-mail.