University lights up for 200th celebration
The University of Manchester 青瓜视频榩ainted the town purple青瓜视频� on Wednesday, 17 January 青瓜视频� a brilliant pathway of light illuminating Oxford Road to mark the start of the 200th anniversary celebrations.
Light Up, the first in a series of exciting bicentenary events planned throughout 2024, saw campus transformed from frosty white to resplendent purple. Iconic buildings including the Whitworth Arch and Manchester Museum glowed bright in the University青瓜视频檚 signature colour.
Crowds of people braved the cold to line Oxford Road for the big switch on and a special 青瓜视频楲ate青瓜视频� event at the Museum, featuring light-filled poetry, music and more 青瓜视频� plus a special makeover for the Museum青瓜视频檚 famous spider crab.
At 6.24pm 青瓜视频� 18.24 representing the University's founding year 青瓜视频� Leader of Manchester City Council Bev Craig accompanied President and Vice Chancellor Nancy Rothwell for the countdown, pressing the big gold button together and setting campus awash in light.
The reception event at Engineering Building A, live streamed for audiences around the world, also included a warm welcome from Professor Rothwell, a speech from Councillor Craig on the important role the University plays within its city, and short excerpts from a specially commissioned bicentenary poem by its writer, alumna Rebecca Hurst.
A line from Mast Year: A poem for the bicentenary of The University of Manchester 青瓜视频� 青瓜视频業青瓜视频檓 meant to be here青瓜视频� 青瓜视频� beamed in huge neon letters as part of an eye-catching installation across Booth Street East, where it will remain for 28 days.
On Oxford Road, the Museum青瓜视频檚 much-loved spider crab was ready to party 青瓜视频� and dressed up for the occasion 青瓜视频� following a glamorous disco makeover. The 青瓜视频榙isco crab青瓜视频� proved a huge favourite with the crowds, many of whom posed for selfies and danced with their new decapod friend.
Across the road a huge projection emblazoned our distinctive 青瓜视频榙rum青瓜视频� building, University Place. The projection shone a light on the University青瓜视频檚 inspiring community, featuring just some of the people who have made, and continue to make, a real difference in Manchester and around the world.
At the Museum, visitors packed in to enjoy curated tours of some of its best-loved collections; family lantern-making workshops; uplifting performances and intriguing displays, such as the amazing colour-changing, sustainable concrete from Graphene Innovations Manchester.
Rebecca Hurst performed a second rendition of her beautiful poem 青瓜视频� this time in full 青瓜视频� and another alumnus, David McFarlane, performed an incredible chromesthesia concert, in which he and his band (fellow alumni) used music to recreate the experience of sound-to-colour synaesthesia, turning sound into coloured light.
There was also the exciting announcement of this year青瓜视频檚 from the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Its theme is 青瓜视频�200 years of creativity: Manchester青瓜视频檚 past, present and future', and entrants 青瓜视频� perhaps feeling inspired by the night青瓜视频檚 activities 青瓜视频� are invited to express their creativity in no more than 280 characters for a chance to win a first prize of 青瓜视频500.
Manchester is a truly global University, and the Light Up celebrations stretched across the world. In Shanghai, the University青瓜视频檚 China Centre set the CITI Bank Tower aglow in a riot of colour 青瓜视频� the number 200 shining out across the city. In Dubai, the Middle East Centre conducted a rousing countdown, and our South East Asia Centre in Singapore gathered current students and esteemed alumni for a jubilant reception.
And that青瓜视频檚 not all. The celebrations will continue in Hong Kong when a purple, illuminated tram traverses the financial and heritage areas of Hong Kong Island for three weeks, spreading news of the University青瓜视频檚 special anniversary.
Light Up was a global event, and fitting way to launch to a bicentenary year. Celebrating The University of Manchester青瓜视频檚 wonderful community, past and present, near and far, in the most spectacular 青瓜视频� and purple 青瓜视频� way.
Re-live the Light Up event on