Margaret Fay of One NorthEast says the region has a lot to feel proud passionate about - and we're telling the world.
 It's a luxury we don't often afford ourselves - to stop for a moment and think about the exceptional things that surround us. So 100 Great Reasons is a wonderful excuse to sit back and reflect on what North East England has to offer and the many things we take for granted, or perhaps didn't even know, about our region. And it doesn't take long to realise what a fantastic place this is to be - thanks to the changes the region is undergoing, it's easy to argue that "we've never had it so good". Within minutes of watching a West End show at The Empire Theatre in Sunderland, or listening to a world-renowned opera singer at The Sage Gateshead you can be deep in the heart of some of the most breathtaking countryside in Britain. Or perhaps you might prefer to tread in the footsteps of the Romans along Hadrian's Wall, or marvel at the scale and beauty of our other world heritage site, Durham Cathedral. We mustn't forget that it is not only our natural assets, culture and heritage that set us apart - you only need to think for a moment about the world-leading work being carried out here in the fields of biotechnology and renewable energy, as well as technology and digital media, to realise how much North East England has to offer. So isn't it surprising that three-quarters of people in the UK claim to know virtually nothing about our region?* Improving the image of the North East and the level of understanding about what it is home to will undoubtedly help to keep up the momentum of change in the region, to attract and retain new business and talented people and in turn contribute to the economic growth and vibrancy of North East England. Even looking at just one hundred of the region's assets is enough to make us realise that there can be no better time to spread the word about how far North East England has come, the high quality of life that can be enjoyed in the region and the surprising range of business and leisure activities happening across the North-East. Indeed, spreading the word is exactly what the new, multi-million pound North East England marketing campaign is designed to do. The North East England brand for the region is being used by a growing number of businesses and attractions and will help to increase understanding of the huge range of people, places, attractions and activities that make the region what it is. In addition, the Passionate People. Passionate Places adverts developed to promote North East England's exceptional people, innovative business, history and heritage, coast and countryside and city culture, are appearing in prominent positions across the country - from supplements in the national media, to prominent sites on the London Underground, at east coast mainline stations, on London taxi cabs and at our region's airports. Everyone has a part to play in raising awareness of the North East's assets, whether this be by telling people you know about your favourite things from the region, showing relatives and friends who visit some of its wonderful sights and attractions or using the North East England brand wherever you can at work. A broad range of businesses and organisations throughout the region are already getting behind the new campaign and actively showing their support for it. Their involvement includes submitting information to the regional image team at One NorthEast to use in a national public relations drive, featuring the regional brand in marketing materials and even appearing in the North East England advertising campaign. Alan Clarke, chief executive of One NorthEast, is passionate about the need to raise the profile of the region if the North East is to achieve its potential: "There are many reasons to be proud of North East England, to show support for the campaign and start playing an active role in shaping the region's future success." People and organisations wishing to back the campaign are being encouraged to adopt the new North East England brand. For more information about the campaign and to find out how you can play your part, log on to www.northeastengland.co.uk , e-mail northeastengland@onenortheast.co.uk or call the Regional Image team on (0191) 229-6719 * MORI Research March/April 2004 | 
100 Great Reasons...
Brian Aitken, Editor, The Journal
