The CRII project is an 4,500,000 € project and funded by 48 % from the European Regional Development Fund through Interreg III B North West Europe Programme. The transnational project started in December 2004 in the eight partner cities:

- Hagen, Germany (Lead Partner)

- Leeds, UK

- Leverkusen, Germany

- Kaiserslautern, Germany

- Southampton, UK

- Brugge, Belgium

- Bristol, UK

- Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Netherlands

The aim of the CRII project is through an integrated approach, to help increase the attractiveness of European Cities by promoting the restoration or further development of their identity, their image and variety.

Strategic and cross cutting objectives:

1. to strengthen city´s attractiveness and image capacity

2. to improve the quality of life for people by providing a better sense of place

3. to preserve and restore cultural diversity as an important characteristic of European Cities

4. to increase public participation, stake-holder and community involvement

5 . to foster city identity and to develope city image by encouraging pro-active leadership

6. to improve the quality of life for people in non-material ways

7. to preserve or restore the variety as an important characteristic of European cities

8. to rediscover public space as a central element of fostering the identity of cities and to develope city image

9. to explore city marketing as a means of achieving competitive advantage for urban regions

10. to improve the legibility and accessibility within cities.

Cities as engines of the economy contribute in a high degree to the economic growth. In a more and more globalized world the competition between cities to bind and attract citizens, tourist and investors increases. Competitive cities need to be attractive. One important criterion for a citiy´s attractiveness is ist distinctiveness. Image and identity as soft location factors are important for determing the distinctiveness of cities. The identity of cities considered to be rooted in the community what means local culture, history, beliefs, interaction between stakeholders, etc. Espacially meduim-sized industrial cities in transition need to develope a future-orientated image and at the same time need to retain their unique historical character and identity, defending its "own face" against levelling, uniformity and standardization. All of the partners within the CRII project are facing similar problems and need to develope similar strategies and find common solutions to these problems.