Executive Summary
National pride remains strong in the UK.
Nationality is a key part of identity across the UK and a large majority of the UK public feels proud to live in the UK. This pride often comes from our culture and shared values.
of UK adults said their nationality was an important part of their identity.
of UK adults believe national pride is mostly about who we are as a nation – our culture and shared values.
Events can trigger national pride.
For most of the UK public, events are integral to promoting national pride. In particular, events that showcase the UK’s values, trigger international recognition, and make people feel part of something bigger make us proud to live in the UK. Whilst hosting events in a local area can bring significant benefits, people can still feel included in a national moment from a distance.
of UK adults said that events that attract positive international attention for the UK make them more proud.
of UK adults say that hosting large scale events make us proud to live in the UK because they allow them to feel part of something bigger.
Support for events as a source of national pride is remarkably widespread across the UK. People of all ages, social grades, and ethnic backgrounds broadly agreed that events made them proud to live in the UK.
Yet different groups respond to different events.
Our research uncovered four groups within the UK public who experience national pride differently and, as a result, respond to different kinds of events. Whilst the consistency and ubiquity of sporting events means they are the most unifying category of event – there is still cross-generational appreciation for cultural, royal and symbolic occasions too.
Nostalgic Nationalists
Traditional and reflective, Nostalgic Nationalists value solemn rituals and historical continuity as expressions of national pride. They are more likely to draw pride from commemorative and royal events.
Proud Participants
Confident, optimistic and highly engaged, Proud Participants see national events as a chance to celebrate identity and come together. They draw pride from all types of events.
Cultural Centrists
Creative, curious and moderately patriotic, Cultural Centrists favour inclusive, modern events that reflect a diverse and evolving Britain. They draw pride more from cultural celebrations than occasions steeped in tradition.
Sideline
Sceptics
Disconnected and disillusioned, Sideline Skeptics feel little emotional or cultural connection to national events or public life. They rarely draw pride from events, though sporting events are the most likely to elicit a response from them.
The UK can harness the power of a varied slate of events to create pride for everyone.
To speak to these different groups, the UK needs a wide variety of events. Events should focus on creating national moments, and representing who we are as a nation, if they want to evoke pride.
The majority of UK adults support public money being spent on every type of event, from public commemorations to cultural exhibitions.
Events that showcase the UK's values, trigger international recognition, and make people feel part of something bigger make us proud to live in the UK
Foreword
It’s hard to forget the electric buzz of the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. In a single evening, the UK told the world who we are—with humour, heart and a sense of occasion unmatched anywhere else. It was a masterclass in connecting people across generations, cultures & geographies that felt like the best kind of party. Spirit of 2012 was set up to bottle that ‘spirit’ and explore how to continue it across events of all different types.
Pride in place has been a recurrent theme in our work, but we also wanted to know whether events are triggers for national pride—and if so, whether this pride looks and feels the same across different nations, regions and communities?
That question has been at the heart of our recent work. In June 2024, alongside Warwick Business School, we published Creating the Golden Thread, a report calling for a long-term national ambition for events in the UK. We argued that events can do much more than entertain—they can help foster a more confident, inclusive and outward-looking society. Moments That Make Us Proud builds on this thinking. It explores in rich detail how pride in the UK is felt, when it is sparked, and what role different types of events—from local festivals to national ceremonies—play in that emotional landscape for different communities.
In a time when it’s easy to feel that disillusionment and disconnection runs deep, this study offers a welcome corrective: most people are proud to live in the UK, and our ability to put on a good show is an important source of that pride.
In our 2023 Inquiry into the Power of Events, we argued that we need to pay more attention to who benefits from events, and, more importantly, who is left out. Public First find about 17% of the UK are ‘sideline sceptics’: they participate in events less than their fellow citizens, and where they do take part, this has less of an impact on feelings of pride. Even here though, we find decent proportions of attendees to sporting tournaments, music festivals and public ceremonies like Hogmanay and Bonfire Night. There is a challenge for those of who care about social cohesion to think about both how to (re)ignite their sense of connection to where they live, and what role major events might play in doing this.
Each year the UK hosts a wide range of international sporting events and cultural festivals. With Euro 2028 Glasgow 2026 and Invictus 2027 on the horizon, event organisers will be considering how they might incorporate cultural elements of storytelling through ceremonies and live sites to enhance the sporting offer, and organisers of high-profile commercial events, such as Glastonbury, are aware of their role in showcasing the UK internationally.
This report conveys the contribution that major events, both publicly funded and commercial, can make. For event organisers, policy makers and cultural leaders, it offers a rich set of insights to explore. If your goal is to bring people together, boost civic pride or strengthen a shared sense of identity, understanding how different communities experience these moments of togetherness can be invaluable. Events are not the only way to nurture pride, but they are one of the most visible and emotive. We hope this research helps prompt fresh thinking and a call to action for using events – large and small – local and national to foster and develop that sense of pride and inclusion.
Ruth Hollis OBE
Chief Executive, Spirit of 2012
