Draft for the European ambassadors' meeting on 26 October 2026. Texts, roles and photos are taken from wciw.org and still need to be confirmed.

21April

The world's day for creative thinking.

World Creativity and Innovation Day is a United Nations International Day of Observance. Across Europe, a network of creativity ambassadors uses the day to show what new thinking can do for a sustainable world.

The next World Creativity and Innovation Day is on 21 April 2027.

What is the day?

Every year on 21 April, the world is invited to use creativity and innovation to solve problems, in particular those behind the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It is the day before Earth Day, chosen to connect new thinking with a decent life for all on a sustainable planet.

  1. 2001Marci Segal founds World Creativity and Innovation Day in Toronto, Canada.
  2. 2006The day grows into World Creativity and Innovation Week, 15 to 21 April. It starts on Leonardo da Vinci's birthday.
  3. 2017The United Nations General Assembly makes 21 April an International Day of Observance (resolution A/RES/71/284).
  4. TodayPeople in more than 160 countries celebrate with workshops, lessons, talks and projects. Europe has its own network of ambassadors.
Read about the day at the United Nations

Inspiring new thinking for a sustainable world.

We are the European ambassadors for World Creativity and Innovation Day. We believe creativity is not a talent for the few, but a skill everyone can learn, and a responsibility we share.

Europe has more in common than borders. We share values, and we want to use them. Together we turn the day into action: creative thinking aimed at the Sustainable Development Goals, in schools, workplaces and communities across the continent.

Who we are

The European board leads the network. Each board member is also the creativity ambassador for their country.

Co-leads

Dorte NielsenDenmarkCo-lead, WCID Europe. Member of the International Advisory Board
Branko BroekmanNetherlandsCo-lead, WCID Europe. Member of the International Advisory Board

European board

Yves De SmetBelgium
Valerie ReynaudFrance
Maren BaermannGermany
Ingvar JónssonIceland
Patricia FlanaganIreland
Alessia BertiItaly
Margaret MangionMaltaProfessor, University of Malta
Katja TschimmelPortugalFounder, Mindshake
Oksana SedashovaUkraine
Patrizia SorgiovanniUnited Kingdom

Creativity ambassadors

Antonio LedinskyCroatia
Ana MaticSerbia
Esther JamesTurkey

Creativity champions

David ChislettNetherlandsCreativity Champion
Nick CorstonUnited KingdomCreativity Champion

Is your country missing?

Europe has more than 40 countries, and many of them still have no creativity ambassador. If you work with creativity and innovation, and want to make 21 April count where you live, we would like to hear from you.

Get in touch