Summary

Enamel/ lacquered lapel badge produced to promote the XVII Commonwealth Games which were held in Manchester, England, 2002.

Physical Description

Small, rectangular lapel badge with the green, red and yellow (abstract face) logo set against a blue background. The gold effect pin has a rear mounted stick pin with safety fastener.

Significance

Ruth Leveson, the donor, undertook an exchange position with the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester in 1994, eight years before the Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester and one year before Manchester was announced as the host of the Games. Museum staff gave her several gifts when she left, including this badge. The gift of the badge was somewhat ironic: Manchester had lost out to Sydney on a bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games. The results had been announced in September 1993, a bitter blow to Manchester after losing the 1996 Olympic Games to Atlanta.

In November 1995 Manchester was announced as host to the 2002 Commonwealth Games, having pursued development of some of the sporting facilities it was planning for the Olympics. (Interestingly, Melbourne lost out in a bid for the 1996 Olympic Games, and is also using some of the planned Olympic venues for the 2006 Commonwealth Games).
The logo on the badge was not the official logo of the 2002 Commonwealth Games - that logo show three people with hands uplifted. It is likely that this badge was issued as part of the drive for Manchester to win the Games (further research required).

Ruth only wore the badge once or twice prior to offering it to the Museum.

History and Technology recently agreed to establish a 2006 Commonwealth Games collection, associated with the development of the "Spirit of the Games" exhibition scheduled to open in March 2006. The Manchester medal provides a link to the previous Commonwealth games, for which the Museum's then CEO, Dr Patrick Greene, also mounted an exhibition as Director of the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

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