What are the building bricks of our identity ? 

We bring you some ideas on aspects that contribute to the IDENTITY of a place according to our view. This reference is not complete. It is merely a start we made in identifying the building bricks that form the identity and image of a place. Please, think about these aspects related to the real existing conditions of your city / concrete examples :

Icon:

a) Is your city characterized by an “icon”, i.e. an important object, person, or event, which is more noticeable than other objects, persons, or events? Is this icon recognized by both citizens and visitors, or do citizens and visitors feel they have a different icon?

b) Is there something special about the name of your city, does it have a special meaning or play a role in history that people may remember? Are reactions of citizens and visitors same?

c) If you have an icon, is the icon used for commercial purposes? Is this situation a result of your aimed effort or result of a coincidence? What is the actual behavior of citizens toward the icon? – is it considered as a positive point that can capture the attention of visitors, or is it perceived negatively – something that is commercialized too much (i.e. more useful to tourists than to citizens)?  

d) Do you have a sufficient amount of resources to capture tourists’ attention to the icon? Is your icon supported, for example by a legend? Is the icon “strong” enough to keep the public attention, or do you need to develop the meaning of the icon by supporting it with new resources?

e) Do you have evidence of the public opinion, or reactions by citizens and visitors? Can you bring some visual aid (pictures, photos) with a short explanation in which you introduce the “icon”?

History:

a) Does your city play a special role in history? Is your city important in history?

b) Does your city have a rich history in terms of (local) stories, narratives, gossip and etc.?

c) In what way does history contribute to your city’s identity and image? Are there some historical buildings or objects, which have become a tourist attraction?

d) Are these historical buildings, or objects also recognized by citizens? Are citizens proud of city history, or historical places (are they able to show the tourist directions, how to get to these places)?

e) Do you have enough resources to inform citizens about the history of their city?

Legends and myths

a) Are there some legends and myths connected to the city? Are these based on historical facts?

b) Are tourists interested in legends and myths about the city? Are these also used for commercial purposes (souvenirs, publishing legend reproductions, images of main characters from the legend, etc.)?

Traditions

a) Is your city connected with some old traditions? Are these traditions kept only by old generation or together with new generations?

b) Are citizens well informed about the roots of these traditions? Do you have enough resources to preserve and develop your traditions? How do young people get informed about the city’s traditions?

c) Are these traditions dying or are there some new traditions evolving in your city?

d) Do you use the existence of traditions also in tourism? Do tourists seek after these traditions?Have you contributed somehow to this fact? – i.e. organizing events, connected with traditions, included in tourist offers.

e) Are you able to maintain a balance between commercial activities and living traditions? Is there a possibility that traditions disappeared from your daily lives and became more of a tourist attraction?

f) Do you have evidence of the public opinion, or reactions by citizens and visitors? Can you provide some visual means (pictures, photos) with short explanations to introduce and explain your traditions?

Language and Dialect

a) Does your city community have a special language or dialect that significantly differs from the language of other cities of your country?

b) Are citizens proud of their language or dialect? Do they use it also in communication behind city borders, or do they just feel the existence of the dialect as something that they would not use in  contact with people from other cities?

c) Is language or dialect something that can be used for commercial purposes (for example menu written in city dialect, names of local hotels, travel/tourism agency in city dialect etc.)?  

Education

a) Do you have an advanced educational system?

b) Do you have a university or school that is known on a national or international level?

c) Are people proud of the good name they have in the education that is provided in your city?

Cuisine

a) Is there a specific kind of cuisine or style of cooking preferred by the city community that is special only for your region?

b) Are citizens proud of the local cuisine? Do they prepare local foods often? Is there a special kind of food, which they prepare when they welcome guests? 

c) Is local cuisine something that can be used for commercial purposes (menus in local restaurants,cookbooks local specialties etc.) Are there any businesses, which offer production of local specialties?  

Sport

Do you have a well known sporting club, fan clubs, typical sporting event…?

Culture and art

a) Do you have a rich cultural live in your city, like Music, Theatre, Dance, Historical events? For both residents and visitors?

b) Does your city have a lot of local artists (fashion, dance, theatre, choir, music, and etc.) Is your city a creative city?

Other ideas ?