The European Union has designated 2009 as the “European Year of Creativity and Innovation”. The objective is to raise awareness of the importance of creativity and innovation as keys to achieving a wide range of personal, social and economic goals, and to stimulate a broad-based policy debate on how creativity and innovation can be better promoted. Holst is proud to be Dr de Bono’s first Partner in Europe and pleased to be supporting this EU initiative. Dr Edward de Bono, with some other prominent personalities, has been officially invited by the European Commission, to act as “Ambassador for Creativity and Innovation” in association with the Year. Edward de Bono, born in Malta, is regarded as the world’s leading authority on both creative thinking and the direct teaching of thinking.  His medical background in biological information systems inspired him and enabled him not only to teach thinking but also to design formal thinking methods.  Today his techniques are used in the biggest corporations in the world. Dr de Bono’s essential contribution will be to act as an influential role model, highlighting with his own experience the importance and the benefits of different aspects of creativity and innovation, in all aspects of society.  He will speak at European and national conferences and awareness-raising events. The media launch took place in Brussels on the 5th December 2008 and an official opening of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation will be organised in Prague, Czech Republic on the 7th January 2009. Dr Edward de Bono is currently working on setting up The Palace of Thinking in Malta, an institution which will help promote innovative and creative thinking in Europe.  Dr de Bono would like each country of the European Union to designate their national ambassador for thinking who will represent their own country and take part of the Palace of Thinking activities.]]>