The 1st World Forum on Talent: AGORA TALENTIA, held in Pamplona, Navarra (Spain), on February, wast he chosen stage to launch this Declaration. Thought leaders such as Richard Florida (the author of “The Rise of the Creative Class”), Sir Ken Robinson (a recognised expert on creativity), international speakers from Europe, the United States, India, Latin America, and, representatives of the European Commission, and the OECD, among others, took part in the Forum. Florida and Robinson, who took part for the first time at the same event in Europe, are ambassadors of the Year of Creativity and Innovation.

The Declaration begins with a global call for the current crisis to be considered as a historic opportunity for “governments, businessmen, educational institutions, and private individuals to commit themselves to the developing and encouraging of talent”. The text mentions that “talent consists of a multitude of characteristics and personal and social experiences which determine success, adaptability, and satisfaction”. On the scenario which is now emerging, professional challenges require “technical talent, innovating talent, enterprising talent, civic and ethical talent, social talent, and emotional talent”. Likewise, in order to achieve a society based on talent, four types of action must be encouraged: “Creating and identifying talent, attracting it, retaining it, and activating it”.

You cand find the declaration at the Agora Talentia website; comments, opinions and feedbacks on the Declaration are welcomed.

With training budgets under more pressure than ever, how can learning and development professionals put themselves in charge? Nigel Paine, a former corporate head of learning who now runs his own company world-wide, explored how to ride out the current tough economic times and even turn them to our advantage taking tips from the US, South America, Europe and Australia. Skills and knowledge are even more important to organisational success now - making the case for them is just a little harder.

• How to talk so that the business listens
• showing value beyond ‘days trained per person’
• Learning tools that help and those that distract
• Why high visibility is sometimes the best form of protection
• Radical change - embrace it or face it