There are moments in a city’s story when everything aligns – the strategy, the ambition, the partnerships and the narrative, writes SUSAN FINNEGAN, LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL.
Liverpool Welcomes Europe is one of those moments. Not just another event in an already world-class calendar, but a deliberate intervention: a platform for business, trade, diplomacy and investment that uses everything distinctive about Liverpool to accelerate our international ambitions.
At its core, Liverpool Welcomes Europe has been designed as a bridge – between the UK and Europe, between civic leadership and enterprise, between culture and commerce, and between Liverpool’s past, present and future. The programme itself is unapologetically multi-sector, convening senior European diplomats, economic attaches, leaders, innovative businesses, investors and institutions across our priority growth areas – from life sciences and advanced manufacturing to creative and digital industries, maritime, sport and professional services.
This isn’t accidental. It is the practical delivery of our emerging international framework – positioning Liverpool as a globally recognised investment destination, powered by soft power but focused on hard economic outcomes.
Expect the Unexpected
This isn’t a traditional trade mission or inward investment conference stereotype – delegates can expect the unexpected. European collaboration meets unmistakable Liverpool energy; high-level diplomacy collides with creativity; boardroom conversations flow seamlessly into immersive cultural experiences. Think serious business by day and something altogether more electric by night. Bold settings, music, architecture, dialogue, connection – a city opening its doors and inviting the world in.
It’s a city-wide platform for exchange, for deal-making, for discovery and for storytelling – one that feels fresh, dynamic and distinctly next-generation.
From Soft Power to Economic Power
Liverpool has always understood soft power – long before we called it that. Our global identity, built on music, sport, humour, culture and character, travels far beyond our physical size. Today, that identity is one of our most powerful economic assets.
But we are at an inflection point. We know how to deliver world-class events. We’ve proven that repeatedly – from Capital of Culture to Eurovision. The challenge now is evolution – using those moments not just to attract audiences, but to attract investment, to unlock trade, and to position Liverpool as a place to study, visit, live, work and invest.
Because soft power, when harnessed intentionally, becomes economic hard power.
Liverpool Welcomes Europe is built on that principle – creating immersive, experiential moments that generate emotional connection to place, while simultaneously opening doors for business and opportunity. It’s why the programme has attracted recognition and engagement from government, including the FCDO and the UK Soft Power Council, recognising the role cities like Liverpool can play on the global stage.
Liverpool’s relationship with Europe is not new – it is foundational. Our story is one of movement, exchange and global connection; a port city where ideas, people and trade have flowed for centuries.
That history matters in a post-Brexit world. It gives Liverpool both credibility and responsibility – which is why the city has been recognised by the EU as a core exemplar of UK–EU urban collaboration.
Liverpool Welcomes Europe builds on that position, demonstrating what city-to-city, subnational diplomacy can look like in practice. It brings together ambassadors, mayors, businesses, universities and cultural institutions creating a model where civic leadership and diplomacy work hand in hand with the private sector.
This is diplomacy reimagined: practical, place-based, and rooted in real economic outcomes.
As a local authority, our role is not to deliver everything – it is to convene, to connect and to unlock. We have a unique vantage point: the ability to bring together stakeholders across sectors, remove barriers, and create the conditions for growth.
Liverpool Welcomes Europe is a clear demonstration of that role in action.
While I have led on the international strategy, vision and delivery model – drawing on 25 years across culture, the visitor economy and international relations – it is our businesses, institutions and communities who are the true producers of this moment. Their content, their innovation, their ambition is what gives the programme its credibility and energy.
And crucially, it creates a genuine platform for business – for export growth, inward investment, partnerships and market access.
A Global City, Powered by Partnership
Central to this ambition is the development of the Global Liverpool Partnership – aligning our anchor institutions, including our world-renowned football clubs, universities, cultural organisations and major businesses, into a more coordinated international offer.
Liverpool’s global reach is already extraordinary – from Liverpool FC and Everton FC’s worldwide fanbases, to our universities, diaspora networks and sector strengths.
The opportunity now is alignment – presenting a unified, compelling proposition to the world.
This is also where the Imagine Liverpool Board plays a critical role: accelerating regeneration, shaping the city’s investment narrative and ensuring that growth is coordinated, ambitious and impactful.
Public and private sector partnership is not optional – it is fundamental.
Liverpool is entering a new cycle of regeneration and growth. The evidence is all around us – in our expanding Knowledge Quarter, our waterfront transformation, our innovation credentials and our evolving global reputation.
But progress is not guaranteed.
We are the custodians of one of the most recognisable city brands in the world, ranked among the top non-capital city brands globally. Yet reputation alone is not enough. We must continue to evolve, to innovate and to act creatively and entrepreneurially.
Liverpool Welcomes Europe is part of that evolution – a green shoot of what could become a homegrown international business festival with a clear identity, rooted in Liverpool’s DNA but designed for the global stage.
The timing matters.
As we look towards 2028 – the 20-year anniversary of Capital of Culture – Liverpool will once again step into the global spotlight. UEFA EURO 2028, Cunard’s Four Queens, and a series of major moments will draw the world’s attention back to our city.
Alongside our ambition to secure the title of European Capital of Innovation, there is a clear opportunity to evolve Liverpool Welcomes Europe into something even more powerful – combining culture, business and investment into a single, globally recognised platform.
A defining moment. A next chapter.
Ultimately, this is about storytelling.
Liverpool Welcomes Europe is our opportunity to tell a story of who we were, who we are, and who we are becoming – a city of firsts, a city of innovation, a city that leads.
A city that knows how to welcome the world and how to do business with it.
The stars are aligning. This is a moment in time. And if we seize it – together – we don’t just host an event.
We build a platform.
