Finding Manchester is the sequel to the ‘Lost in Bolivia Expedition’, a four-month search for the lost village of Manchester in the Bolivian Amazon.

The successful Bolivia Expedition resulted in a five-month exhibition at the Manchester Museum. An audience of 14,500 enjoyed and celebrated a previously unrecognised Mancunian legacy.

Following the success and public acclaim of this first endeavour, we now seek to create a global celebration of Manchesters and Mancunians everywhere by creating a permanent record and cultural links between 52 Manchesters in 52 weeks across 5 continents.

Finding Manchester aspires to create a snapshot in history of how Manchesters around the world are today, for the generations of tomorrow.

Finding Manchester will: • Document 52 Manchesters in 52 weeks, across 5 continents. • Create a permanent archive collection of oral interviews, images and documents for the Manchester Archive Repository. • Stage a second high profile exhibition with the Manchester Museum. • Create an international collection of 52 word written reflections to develop into an art installation. • Link schools and communities of Manchesters around the world like never before. • Celebrate what it is to ‘be Manchester’ in the year 2012/13 – the year of the Cultural Olympiad.

Partners Partners include: the Hallé, The Manchester Museum, Marketing Manchester, and the Ted Simon Foundation, the Manchester Day Parade.

The Need for Finding Manchester For several hundred years Manchester and its people have been known for their forward thinking, global reach and industrial and cultural successes, but the name of Manchester as a collective global identity has never before been captured and celebrated. Manchester is many things to many people – a jungle village, a remote lake on the edge of the Arctic Circle, gold mines, townships and cities of millions. Manchesters around the world have much to be proud of and in these times of austerity, now is the time to celebrate it and inspire the world again.

The Need for Support Finding Manchester is the product of two people who aspire to create something amazing. Finding Manchester is not an organisation, it is not core funded, it does not have any employees. Everything that Finding Manchester has achieved (both in this incarnation and in the search for Manchester Bolivia) has been achieved through the personal funds, determination, tenacity and the specific skills of two people – Chris Smith & Liz Peel. We are now seeking the remaining funding needed to create something unique and truly inspiring for both people and businesses everywhere. We wish to attract the support of companies who are also proud to be a part of Manchester and an inspiration to others.

Timescales (subject to funding) • Finding Manchester will depart for Nova Scotia in June 2012 and return via Manchester Gibraltar in June 2013. • The Exhibition will be staged approximately 6 months thereafter.

About Chris Smith and Liz Peel The work of Chris Smith and Liz Peel includes humanitarian projects in numerous countries, unsupported expeditions to the Amazon, the Atacama Desert, the Negev Desert, the Darien Gap and an attempted crossing of the Andes in a three-wheel motor taxi, which resulted in them giving a lift to a lot of people. They have published and made significant contributions to a number of books, including: Finding Manchester - Lost in Bolivia and The Great Adventure Motorcycling Journeys if the World. They have staged several high profile exhibitions of their work, contributed to a wide range of articles and radio programmes around the world and are regular public speakers, giving inspirational talks to schools, public events and businesses.

Contact Details Web: www.findingmanchester.com Email: info@findingmanchester.com Mobiles: 07531 577614 / 07815 724476 Tel: 01785 663331

Picture: Manchester, Bolivia A small community living beside a remote lagoon on the off the Rio Manuripi in the Pando Department of Bolivia.