This feature was originally published in the Evening Telegraph on 24 December 2024.
As I approach my 135th and final column next week, it’s hard not to reflect on all I’ve written - and all there still is to say about this city I proudly call home.
Promoting Dundee has been a lifelong passion of mine, and that won’t stop anytime soon. There’s so much more to do to firmly establish Dundee on the international stage, and we’re making fantastic progress.
But, if we’re honest, us Dundonians can sometimes be our own worst critics. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing - after all, who better to drive improvements than those who live here and know the city inside out?
We Dundonians are clever and resourceful people. We’ve achieved so much, and I’d wager there are cities out there that envy our calibre of accomplishments.
Take a moment to step back and just look.
Dundee is a city of firsts.
We are the first city in Scotland, the first UNESCO City of Design in the UK, and the first area in the world to eliminate hepatitis C. We pioneered degrees in computer games design and ethical hacking, built Scotland’s first design museum and the UK’s first purpose-built public observatory, and constructed the first purpose-built scientific research ship in the world.
And what of our discoveries, inventions, innovations and other achievements? They’re nothing short of remarkable. Statistical graphs, adhesive postage stamps, Grand Theft Auto, Lemmings, the ZX Spectrum, the Horsehead Nebula, and white dwarf stars all discovered or invented in Dundee or by Dundonians. The best-selling comic magazine in the western world is published here, we played a pivotal role in establishing Toronto as a city, pioneered the method of flight and aspirin, inspired the creation of Frankenstein and captured the iconic Abbey Road cover. We even coined the term “Beatlemania.”
Yet our story doesn’t end there—Dundee’s future is brimming with potential.
As a growing global tech hub, we’re pushing boundaries in gaming, life sciences, medical research, and even esports, which is becoming an accelerating force in the city. The progress we’re making is undeniable.
Of course, we can’t ignore our challenges. Dundee, like every city, grapples with issues such as drugs, homelessness, and poverty. These won’t be solved overnight, but we must continue addressing them head-on.
What I love most about Dundee is its resilience. This is a city that takes its knocks, gets back up, dusts itself off, and reinvents itself. Time and time again.
So, to my fellow Dundonians and those living in Dundee: you are amazing. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Yes, we have our struggles, but what city doesn’t? It’s time to stop beating ourselves up and recognise that we can be - and are - unbelievably brilliant.
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