The 7th Image of Chile Meeting was held with a large attendance at the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center (GAM) and more than a hundred people connected via streaming. The event was a space for dialogue and reflection on the importance of the country image as a strategic tool for public diplomacy and international positioning.
The Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs and Minister (s), Gloria de la Fuente, stressed that "the country brand is inseparable from foreign policy. It is a central instrument of public diplomacy that gives strength and consistency to what Chile represents in the world". He also stressed the importance of working collaboratively, promoting values that are fundamental for Chile, such as democracy, human rights, international cooperation and multilateralism.
The program included an inspirational lecture by Amy Knightley, a reference of New Zealand's experience in country branding, who shared the successful strategy developed by that country. Among her main messages, she highlighted the importance of joint work between the public, private and citizen sectors.
"It is crucial that both public and private institutions give a country brand the importance it deserves to benefit its inhabitants. It has been proven that the better the brand is perceived, the more economic benefits the country will have, whether through direct investment, the arrival of tourists, foreign students or the added value of local products," said Knightley.
Meanwhile, the territorial branding specialist Andy Stalman invited to reflect on the direction of the Chile brand and the need to project a coherent and forward-looking narrative."What does a country brand contribute: direction, integration and consistency; therefore, events like this shake us up so that we do not continue to postpone something as important as the construction of a country brand, which is an invaluable asset not only for Chile, but also for Chileans," he said.
The value of Tika
In this edition, the Marca Chile Award was reinstated, which distinguishes companies or licensee institutions that represent the values of the country's image. This year the award was given to Tika Foods, a healthy snacks company founded by Carolina Echeñique, who after receiving the award shared her experience as an entrepreneur.
"For me it is wonderful and a source of pride to receive this tremendous award, it is a great moment in our history, because Tika is Chile. In each package is not only the logo of Marca Chile, but also the work of our farmers, our vegetables, the emotion and passion of Chileans," he said.
The meeting concluded with a call to continue building a country narrative that inspires, summons and projects Chile with coherence and ambition on the international scene.
Relive the 7th Image of Chile Meeting
