World Creativity and Innovation Day is TODAY!
In 2017, the United Nations designated April 21st to celebrate the importance of creativity to human development
World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID) is the United Nations International Day of Observation that “empowers people to use new ideas, make new decisions, and maker the world a better place.” It’s always April 21st and it’s always the last day of World Creativity and Innovation Week (WCIW) which always starts on April 15th.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on 27 April 2017 designating April 21st as World Creativity and Innovation Day. The resolution says:
Acknowledging that innovation is essential for harnessing the economic potential of each nation and the importance of supporting mass entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, which create new momentum for economic growth and job creation and expand opportunities for all, including women and youth;
Taking note of the findings contained in the special edition of the Creative Economy Report, co-published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the United Nations Development Programme through the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation in November 2013, in which it is stated that human creativity and innovation, at both the individual and group levels, have become the true wealth of nations in the twenty-first century,
Taking note also of the declaration adopted in Florence, Italy, on 4 October 2014…to take action in global partnership to promote creative environments, processes and products.
WCID was founded on May 25, 2001, in Toronto, Canada, by Marci Segal. It became so successful that in 2017, the United Nations decided to make it official. (But they’re not funding it; the resolution says “we stress that the cost of all activities should be met from voluntary contributions.”)
Some of the creative events and celebrations include:
The 53rd Hong Kong Arts Festival: 27 March 2025 to 23 April 2025
The 43rd International Film Festival of Uruguay: 8 April 2025 to 20 April 2025
The Vatican Expo in Osaka, Japan: 13 April 2025 to 13 October 2025
Creative Crayons!!! in India: 15 April 2025 to 21 April 2025
Innompic SuperCreativity Games (online): 15 April 2025 to 21 April 2025
World Art Dubai: 17 April 2025 to 20 April 2025
And there’s The Torrance Festival of Ideas, Athens, Georgia, USA: 21 April 2025 to 22 April 2025, organized by Professor Anna Abraham, who was recently a guest on my podcast The Science of Creativity!
Why is it April 21st? The organizers say that it’s because it’s the day before Earth Day, April 22nd, “to emphasize the importance of using new thinking to create a decent life for all on a sustainable planet.” And guess why World Creativity and Innovation Week starts on April 15th? It’s because that’s Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday. “Da Vinci demonstrates creativity as both arts and sciences - a synergy that earned him the spot as one of the most creative people to have ever lived.”
Here’s the WCI Inclusion Statement:
We are World Creativity & Innovation. We are World Creativity & Innovation Week and World Creativity & Innovation Day. We welcome everyone. We celebrate every creative idea and effort. Creativity does not take sides. Neither do we. Creativity considers all points of view. We welcome creatives with diverse perspectives and ideas with open arms, open hearts, and open minds.
WCI will continue to be a platform for discussion, for spreading the ideals of creativity, for sharing resources, for connecting people, for inspiring and celebrating the incredible lessons and benefits of creativity & innovation all around the world.
Wonderful words!