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Mayor Steve Rotheram explains why, in an increasingly insular world, the city region is thinking global and reclaiming its place on the world stage
Today, the Liverpool City Region took centre stage as host of Europe Day. For us, this is far more than a ceremonial occasion. It is a timely affirmation of who we are and where we’re going: a globally minded city region that is open, ambitious and confident about its place in the world.
Dignitaries gather to celebrate Europe Day
There is something fitting about Liverpool hosting a major event on Europe Day. For centuries, our region has stood as a titan of international trade and innovation. The River Mersey was once the launchpad for goods, people and ideas that helped shape the modern world, and has been the lifeblood of our region for hundreds of years. Our history is global. Our identity is global. And today, that spirit is not only alive – it’s thriving.
When I was Lord Mayor in 2008, Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture helped usher in a new era for our city and region. It wasn’t just a celebration of our rich cultural legacy; it was a catalyst for growth. Since being elected as the first ever Metro Mayor, I’ve made it my mission to build on that momentum – because I believe our best days still lie ahead.
Eurovision in the M&S Bank Arena
The truth is, the Liverpool City Region is once again stepping onto the world stage. We are regaining our status as an international capital — not just of culture, but of commerce, innovation, diplomacy and sustainability. From the Eurovision Song Contest to the G7 Summit, the first UK-Ireland Summit to the Labour Party Conference, we’ve proven that Liverpool can host, lead and inspire at the highest level.
The Mayor at the UK and Ireland summit
But beyond the fanfare and photo opportunities lies something deeper: a strategy. We are deliberately reasserting ourselves as a gateway between the UK and the world. At a time when much of the world feels more inward-looking, the Liverpool City Region has its arms wide open. We are forging strong, practical partnerships with cities and regions in the USA, Germany, China, South Korea, Ireland and Indonesia — building a network of global collaboration that will drive investment and opportunity for years to come.
This is not a nostalgia trip. This is a plan for the future — and it’s working.
Mayor Steve Rotheram with Denise Simmons, Mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
READ MORE: Liverpool City Region joins high-level trade mission to China
Mayor Steve Rotheram shows the Mayor of Busan around the city region.
As Mayor, I’ve committed to increasing foreign direct investment into the Liverpool City Region by 25% before the end of the decade. That’s not a political soundbite — it’s a mission grounded in opportunity. Our economy is being reshaped by the very technologies that will define the 21st century. And we are investing in the people, places and platforms that will ensure we lead that transformation, not follow it.
We’re already seeing the results. From advanced manufacturing to materials chemistry, from AI to life sciences, the Liverpool City Region is home to some of the most exciting and impactful innovation in the UK. The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine continues to save lives around the world. The Liverpool Pandemic Institute is preparing us for the health threats of tomorrow. Our work in infectious disease, clean energy and data-led diagnostics is not just world-class — it’s world-changing.
And at the heart of our digital and scientific revolution is Daresbury. Home to one of the most powerful supercomputing centres in the country, the £30 million facility is accelerating breakthroughs in everything from health research to net zero technologies. When combined with our transatlantic fibre optic cable, LCR Connect—linking us directly to North America at unparalleled speed—we are quite literally connecting the Liverpool City Region to the future.
The launch of the LCR Connect programme.
That same innovative spirit will also power our ambitious Mersey Tidal project, one of the most significant renewable energy initiatives in the UK. If realised at full scale, it has the potential to power up to a million homes for 120 years and position our region as a global leader in sustainable innovation. While others talk a good game on green growth, we’re building it—from the riverbed up.
READ MORE: First public engagement reveals strong support for Mersey Tidal Power Project
CGI image of the Mersey Tidal project.
This pioneering approach is embedded in our DNA. We’re the city region that built the world’s first commercial passenger railway, the first enclosed commercial dock, and we’ll soon have one of the first integrated public transit systems in the UK. That same ingenuity is now powering a new generation of breakthroughs – many of which are attracting attention and investment from across the globe.
Take our work on net zero. While other countries and governments waver on their climate commitments, we’re pressing ahead with our target of becoming net zero by 2035.
Mersey Tidal Power, green hydrogen, Hynet and offshore wind form a central plank of our clean growth strategy. We are not only embracing the green transition – we’re leading it. And in doing so, we’re restoring the Mersey to a level of cleanliness not seen since before the Industrial Revolution.
All of this investment – public and private – is helping to fuel a renaissance that’s not just economic, but cultural and civic too.
Yes, we’re famous for The Beatles. And our football. But today’s Liverpool is about so much more. We’ve been named Time Out’s seventh best city in the world (2024), the best city for food in the UK (2025), and home to the 11th coolest neighbourhood on the planet in the Baltic Triangle (2023). We’re attracting more tourists, welcoming more businesses, and building new futures for local communities.
CGI image of The Littlewoods Project. (Capital & Centric)
With our iconic buildings, historic parks and stunning coastline, we’re already the most filmed UK city outside London and soon the Littlewoods Film and TV Studios will turbocharge our strong claim to becoming the “Hollywood of the North”- bringing thousands of jobs, new talent pipelines and more global productions to our region.
Add to that the transformational impact of Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and the continued success of our world-class cultural institutions, and it’s easy to see why our city region is not just surviving but thriving.
Looking out from the top of Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
But we’re not doing any of this for the headlines. We’re doing it for our people. Every new investment, every new partnership, every global summit we host is part of a bigger story—one where the Liverpool City Region is using its global reach to deliver local impact.
This is about creating good jobs, raising living standards, and ensuring that our best days don’t live in the past, but lie ahead. It’s about making our region the best place to grow up, grow a family and grow a business.
That’s why Europe Day matters. It’s a chance to reflect on who we are, what we stand for, and the world we want to help shape. For Liverpool, that world is outward-looking, innovative, and united by shared progress.
To rework a line from that famous band of ours: we’ve got back to where we once belonged. And we’re only just getting started.
