Today marks World Creativity and Innovation Day for us all, and we want you to celebrate - and we've found just the way you can do that.
Observing the World Creativity and Innovation Day, April 21, Youth Time speaks to two inspiring representatives of World Creativity and Innovation Week/Day (WCIW/D)- a worldwide community dedicated to celebrating all forms of creativity.
The United Nations designated this day to raise the awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.
On this occasion, people are invited to embrace the idea that innovation is essential for harnessing the socio-economic potential of nations. Innovation and creativity can provide solutions to some of the most pressing problems such as poverty eradication and the elimination of hunger.
Along these lines, at WCIW/D, they stand for creativity as a moving force, making the world go round.
And they do not want us to take their word for it- just look around you: Everything surrounding you is a product of creative minds thinking differently, challenging the norm, taking risks and learning from trial and error. Everything we do can be a creative act, they believe.
Jim Friedman, Ph.D., Chief Steward, WCIW/D, and Abby Porter, International Strategic Initiatives Director of WCIW/D will elaborate this and more, during this exclusive interview with Grese Sermaxhaj.
Inspire People to Live More Creatively
Friedman describes the primary focus of their work, campaigns and ways they reach your audiences for observing this day/week.
“We want everyone around the world to use new ideas, make new decisions, and make the world a better place.” he says in the beginning.
“The primary focus of our community’s work and campaigns is to encourage and empower everyday creativity in homes, schools, and communities. Our goal is to inspire and enable everyone to live more creative lives.
“We reach our audience by fostering connections, word-of-mouth marketing, social media marketing, and promoting the network of our 14 International Advisory Board Members.”
A Cause More Powerful Than COVID-19
The World Creativity and Innovation Week/Day community is celebrating its 20th anniversary during this month, and Friedman shares with our readers how this is progressing, and to what extent the current COVID-19 pandemic affected their nature of work.
“What began as a grassroots organization has grown into an international celebration in over 80 countries.
“From authors to individuals to entrepreneurs to educators, our community celebrates what creativity and innovation can do.
“It’s going great!”
Even though challenging, the COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed their cause.
“The increased knowledge of online platforms like Zoom has only strengthened our international community.”, Friedman happily added.
Witnessing and Sharing Stories
Whereas, Porter elaborates that the WCIW/D exists to highlight the next major accomplishment or success story every day.
“We see the wonderful work happening in central Africa but one man in Nigeria who is single-handed teaching young people about creativity and empowering them to change their lives. We can talk about a small organisation in Indonesia that is leading a worldwide children’s movement to make the world a better place.
“Every day we see and share the stories of creative people using their creative mind-sets, toolset and skill sets to make the/their worlds a better place and we list them on wciw.org.”
Creativity has no Limits
Since Youth Time’s audience is mainly young people, Porter shares her way on how youth is contributing and can contribute to this mission.
She reminds us that research shows that children are the most creative among us, but adults and society teach and train it out of them.
“Our youth need to continue to use their curiosity, playfulness and willingness to experiment and experience to make new amazing things happen as they grow up.”
She likes to think of World Creativity and Innovation Week and World Creativity and Innovation Day as a holiday.
“Everyone celebrates Mother’s Day in their own way with their own traditions, but the purpose is the same… celebrating mothers.
“Creativity has no limits.”
Join the Celebration
Overall, they want every individual to be recognized on their website, wciw.org, to be promoted on their social media platforms, and to share their celebration with others.
Through their Celebration Guide they remind us we have to think of this day as a holiday for creativity. They creatively call:
Celebrate in your own way, like you would with any other holiday. A celebration can be anything. It can be in person or virtual.
A workshop, a webinar, a project, a game, a lecture, a discussion, a video, an article, or a social media campaign. Your celebration is what you make of it.
Remember anyone can celebrate, and anyone can be creative. Families, communities, schools, businesses, countries can celebrate.
YOU can celebrate too!
To find your place in it, follow and contact them through; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here for WCIW/D media kit.
Happy World Creativity and Innovation day from Friedman, Porter and all of us at Youth Time!
Creativity requires us to find creative solutions. Thankfully we have something for you:
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