The City Department of Architecture and Urban Planning “Bishkekglavarhitektura” announced the launch of an initiative to create a brand of the capital of Kyrgyzstan. An anonymous survey was launched as part of the project, the purpose of which is to study how residents perceive Bishkek and its key features.

The formation of urban identity is a trend embracing megacities around the world. In the context of globalization and competition between cities as economic and cultural centers, a unique brand helps to attract tourists, investments and create a basis for promotion on the international arena. Bishkek, in turn, strives to emphasize its spirit, which combines the traditions of nomadic culture and modern trends.

"We are conducting this survey to understand how you, dear citizens, perceive our city. Your opinion and experience are very important for us to form the brand and identity of Bishkek. We are interested to know what makes our city special for you”, - “Bishkekglavarhitektura” State Institution addresses the citizens. 

The survey includes questions about the cultural and social identity of the capital, its cosmopolitan nature and its connection with the environment. For example, respondents are asked to choose a symbol that reflects the essence of Bishkek and describe what makes the city unique. The answers will help form a strategy for developing a brand that emphasizes the capital’s strengths.

Among the ideas that the organizers intend to take into account are the opinions of citizens on the harmony between tradition and modernity, as well as on how Bishkek can position itself in the region and beyond.

The collected data will be used to create a brand of Bishkek and how it will present itself to the world.

We would like to add that similar initiatives on the formation of city brands have been carried out in other Central Asian countries. For example, Almaty discussed the development of a new city brand in 2022 to promote it as a tourist destination.

Uzbekistan also has a number of examples of branding aimed at increasing the attractiveness of cities and regions. For example, the “New Tashkent” project to create an identity for the capital city. Its concept includes a corporate identity that emphasizes the modernization of the city while preserving its cultural roots. Or, for example, cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are actively used by Uzbekistan as cultural and historical centers.

After the completion of the survey, the data will be processed and presented to the public. The strategy of visual identity and positioning of Bishkek will be formed on their basis.