People, Let’s Innovate!

Participants will have the opportunity to learn from internationally acknowledged expert Dr Hugo van Veghel, exchange ideas, opinions, and provoke to think about innovative tools for intercultural dialogue. The Festival will boost creativity and innovation, raise awareness and develop competences that enable people to embrace change as an opportunity, to remain receptive to new ideas and to respect and appreciate the values of others. The main question is Are you ready for the Red Monkey? (Jef Staes, My Organisation is a Jungle)
1. A Red Monkey is an idea, not a person
2. A Red Monkey is most of the time born out of a conversation (open innovation) between different ecosystems (organizations, companies, ages, …)
3. A Red Monkey is controversial and is cause for conflict, if not then it was just an improvement.
4. Not all Red Monkeys are good ideas by definition, but real Red Monkeys ought to get a chance at survival
5. Red Monkeys are killed by Red Monkey Hunters, and created by Red Monkey Breeders
6. A Red Monkey that survives a conflict results in innovation
7. Most of today’s organisations aren’t build to be sympathetic to Red Monkeys

Hugo van Veghel, Belgian, is a “gestalt” driven manager with an extensive experience in realistic need assessment, project development, appraisal and implementation. After 21 years in the public sector he decided to start a new career in the private sector. He is working in the Western Balkans since 1998 and is director and founder of Tara International Consulting d.o.o, (www.tara-international-consulting.eu ). He has experience in multiple policy European Integration related projects as agent and as evaluation expert. For him the human factor is the key to success. Therefore he is putting emphasis on creativity in management and a gyroscopic balance between “managing” and “leading”.