The high-profile event to launch the 20/20 Vision strategy for the Bradford district brought to the fore a lot of important issues. Many are predictable, among them tackling crime, improving education and tidying up run-down buildings. But they are nevertheless crucially important.

One of the most fundamental issues, of course, is the old chestnut of Bradford's image in the wider world. Council leader Ian Greenwood rightly pointed out that Bradfordians traditionally have a down-to-earth and forthright attitude to the world and are often quick to criticise big ideas and grand designs. Such natural scepticism is no bad thing, but it translates too readily into a tendency to talk ourselves down.

It will be interesting to see how people react to the 20/20 Vision strategy as it unfolds in the months to come. One thing is clear. Bradford will struggle to improve its image to the outside world until it starts to feel better about itself.

That is why earlier this year we launched the Bradford's Best campaign, to highlight the good things about the district - not only the hundreds of people nominated in our Millennium Community Awards scheme, but also the many achievements which are linked to Bradford's name.

Our special Best 100 supplement earlier this week illustrated just a selection of the things Bradford has to be proud of. We shouldn't be embarrassed to boast about them - to each other and to the outside world. We need to be more positive about ourselves, without glossing over our faults and problems, if we are to get others to be positive about us.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.