Summarising the message

It is possible to summarise the messages about the UK under a series of headings. The three main groupings used are themes, subjects and geographical regions. Stories are overlapping and can support several of these categories. It is the unique balance which describes the UK.

Core themes

Panel 2000 said the core themes of the UK were:

• Britain's heritage
• Reliability and integrity
• Free speech and fair play
• Openness to the world
• Creativity and innovation

There are some suggested sources of good stories supporting these themes in the information sources page of this website.

Core subjects

There are core subjects too. Some of the areas of the UK's strength are:

• The creative industries - such the arts and advertising
• Science and technology
• Business and finance
• Education - especially higher education
• The rule of law - which has been the model for so many other countries around the world
• The English language
• Multi-cultural nation

The parts

The UK is made up of different parts each of which has its own character. The most obvious regions are:

• London - the most visible part of the UK to many people overseas
• England - which is made up of many parts, each with its unique identity, whether cities and towns or countryside and coast
• Scotland - which has some very famous icons which are known around the world
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

The UK is the sum of these parts, and the stronger for it.

Where next?

The UK is famous for the traditional but is too little recognised for its modern achievements. We have the traditional. We need to move forward.

'Reflect the traditional and project the contemporary'
British Tourist Authority, 1997

'Our research shows that the United Kingdom is recognised for its many strengths, especially its strong economy and stable institutions. However, it is still seen as rather old-fashioned and stodgy. The challenge for Britain now is to retain the best of our traditional reputation while finding creative ways of showing that we are a modern and innovative country.'
Baroness Helena Kennedy in the introduction to Through Other Eyes, 1999