Friendship Force World Conference 2017
 

CONFERENCE START/END 

August 24 (6:00pm) - August 28 (12:00 Noon)

IMPORTANT: If you leave Manchester on August 28, please make sure your flight is after 3:30 pm so you can leave the hotel comfortably at 1:00 pm and wont miss any of our exciting closing activities. If you cannot find a flight after 3:30 pm, consider staying an extra night and leaving on August 29th. Rates at the Midland Hotel for the night of August 28 are also being offered at a deeply discounted rate.

CONFERENCE HOTEL 

The Midland Hotel, 16 Peter Street, Manchester M60 2DS, U.K. MAP

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

The closest airport is Manchester International Airport (MAN). As this list shows, most of the major world airlines fly into Manchester, however you could also fly into London Heathrow or Gatwick and take a train or bus up to Manchester. www.kayak.com is a good resource for individual flight searches and bookings. 
Groups of 10 or more flying together from their home airport may contact Patti George at patti@groupsbydesign.com for a quote on a group airfare to Manchester. Group airfares guarantee the flights and fare for up to 331 days prior to travel. Final payment for group airfares is approximately 45 days prior to travel.
The Midland Hotel is 20-30 minute drive from Manchester International Airport (MAN). Taxis from the airport cost approximately £20-£30 depending on the number of passengers/luggage. The airport is connected to the city center by rail to Manchester Piccadilly station and Manchester Oxford Road station, and by Metrolink to the Deansgate-Castlefield stop right behind the hotel.
For arrival by car or train from other parts of the UK, please visit the hotel's website.
Manchester is one of the UK's most walkable cities, but if you don't want to walk you can take advantage of the wonderful Metroshuttle FREE city bus services! These operate on three circular routes covering all main city center areas.

CONFERENCE FEES AND OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

All fees quoted on this website and on the registration forms are in British Pounds.

The conference fee is £320 and includes: a fun and lively "Travel Back to 1977" welcome party (please join us in 70s dress); a full day of plenaries and interactive group activities with our keynote speaker, the explorer and TV presenter Benedict Allen; a full day of workshops addressing Friendship Force topics as well as cultural and fun themes; entertainment and coffee breaks; two lunches at the hotel; a beautiful conference gift, traditional souvenir bag, all conference materials; a full morning closing plenary session with lots of important information and global updates, and including our second high-profile speaker, actress and philanthropist Stefanie Powers! Check out the "SPEAKER" and "AGENDA" tabs on this website in the coming months as further details become available.

Additional paid options include: accommodation at the historical and stunning Midland Hotel with breakfast; ten different tours in and around Manchester and surrounding counties; a spectacular evening gala banquet under the wings of Concorde in an aircraft hangar; a variety of pre- and post-conference Friendship Force tours around Europe and a small number of and pre- and post-conference mini-homestays. All options are available for an additional fee. See the tabs above for more information and don't forget to read the cancellation policies, which you can find on on the "OPTIONS", "PRE & POST CONF", and "FEES" tabs, as well on your confirmation email after registering.

Weekend event! “Manchester Pride”, Europe’s biggest Pride festival, will hold its famous and colorful parade on Saturday. Pride is a celebration of inclusion, acceptance, and love, which is very fitting with Friendship Force's own philosophy. The parade is known to be a fun, family-friendly event and if you'd like to enjoy the festivities before or after a short FFI tour, we've several tour options to choose from. If not, there are several full-day tours in and outside of Manchester to enjoy instead.

HOW TO REGISTER

When ready, click the red "New Registration" button. You will be able to register yourself for the conference and any optional activities, as well as any additional members of your family and/or guests attending with you (important: each person will need a separate email address to register).  
If you or someone you know would like to attend the gala banquet only, please contact Debbie Powell at debbie@friendshipforce.org to reserve a ticket. And don't forget to book your hotel room at the beautiful Midland Hotel by phone or email - details are in the "Hotel" tab.

CONTACT INFORMATION
General Conference Inquiries Debbie Powell, Conference Director, debbie@friendshipforce.org
Pre- & Post-Conference Homestays and Tours Valerie Malfara, Regional Services Manager
for the UK, valerie@friendshipforce.org
Visas Matthew Nidek, matthew@friendshipforce.org
*Before contacting Matthew, please check with your nearest UK embassy or consulate to determine (a) if you need a visa to enter the UK and (b) what documents you will need
Manchester Airport Transfers Please visit the booking pages for Sun Transfers or Blacklane
Hotel Inquiries Midland Hotel, Manchester (see HOTEL tab)
Booking: (+44) 0845 074 0060 / stay@qhotels.co.uk
General inquiries: (+44) 0161-236-3333