Director General of WIPO Daren Tang with Councillor Graham Morgan, Deputy Mayor of the Liverpool City Region
Liverpool City Region has received an international “City of Innovation” award from the UN in recognition of its “bold” and “inclusive” ambitions for the future.
The city region was one of three inaugural winners selected by the UN's World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), alongside Shanghai, China, and Charleroi, Belgium.
Its winning bid consisted of a pledge to expand “activities to unlock the creative and growth potential of its diverse communities and business base” as part of a wider campaign to transform the city region. More specifically, it has promised to develop a new innovation strategy, protect and support the ideas of businesses, and promote science, technology, and arts activities for communities and young people.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said that the award confirms that “there’s something special happening” in the city, but emphasised that Liverpool’s innovation was not simply being pursued for the sake of international recognition.
He said: “We’re not doing all this so we can pick up a trophy and put it on a shelf.
“It’s about what innovation can do for the lives of ordinary people, creating good, high-value jobs, bringing investment into our communities and finding solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face.”
Liverpool was chosen from a shortlist of 15 cities by a nine-strong international, independent jury. Its bid was led by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, and supported by Liverpool City Council and Sci-Tech Daresbury.
Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council and Cabinet Member for Public Service Innovation, said that he was “delighted” about Liverpool’s continued efforts to “strive for excellence”.
He said: “I look forward to working with city region stakeholders in the coming months to deliver the standout pledges included within our winning bid, which will set the tone for future Cities of Innovation to strive towards.”
As a winner, Liverpool will gain greater international recognition and be among the first cohort of a new international innovation and intellectual property network, as well as receive a commemorative plaque and a trophy.
This comes less than a year after Liverpool came runner-up in the European Capital of Innovation competition.
Featured Image Credit: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority