In honor of Mr. Mandela: How the celebration is ongoing in Johannesburg, South Africa?

It’s a big event for Johannesburg and for South Africa. It’s a big event for locals and visitors to South Africa.

In the words of Revolutionary, Public Servant, Political Leader, Philanthropist and Father of our Nation, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela: “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.” Mandela Day was officially declared an annual international day in honour of Mr. Mandela, by the United Nations in November 2009, with the first Mandela Day held on the 18th of July 2010.

A global call to action that mobilizes the masses and celebrates the concept that each individual has within them the power to change the world by making an impact, no matter how big or small. This is an especially significant year as Nelson Mandela would have celebrated his centenary year. At Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square, where a six metre tall bronze sculpture of Madiba watches over us, we are bringing the people of South Africa together in an attempt to fight poverty and promote peace, reconciliation and cultural diversity with our Mandela Day Centenary Celebrations for 2018.

Taking action and inspiring change, on Mandela Day, the 18th of July 2018, the celebration of Mandela’s legacy will kick off with performances by Buskaid, a charitable trust helping young disadvantaged Musicians in South African townships, from 11am to 12:30pm. Started by British Viola Player Rosemary Naiden, the Organisation has been affording opportunities to young impoverished string players for twenty-one years. These performances will be followed by the African Carnival from 12:30 to 1:30pm, performed by The Carnival Company, specialising in authentic African costume creation and adding colourful authenticity and cultural flare to Mandela

Day 2018 at Nelson Mandela Square. The African Carnival will return to the Square on the 21st of July 2018 from 12:30-1:30pm.

Joining the bronze statue of Nelson Mandela overlooking The Square, celebrated Photographer and artist Erhardt Thiel has designed the iMadiba Installation that will become a new feature at Nelson Mandela Square. The bench, constituting the size of Madiba’s cell on Robben Island will be unveiled on the 19th of July 2018.

Nelson Mandela Square has commissioned a 100 Logo installation, in the spirit of the “LOVE” installation in New York City, complete with mirrors to symbolize reflection. Using the official centenary logo from the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the installation aims to draw crowds to this

Instagrammable installation to be shared across social media platforms with the #BeTheLegacy hashtag. The installation will live in Nelson Mandela Square, next to Madiba’s statue.

In addition, “Writing on the Wall” will be positioned on Nelson Mandela Square, encouraging people to write and share their messages of hope in continuation of Madiba’s legacy. At the end of this campaign, these messages will be repurposed into stationery bags and donated to underprivileged schools in need.

Preston Gaddy, General Manager of Nelson Mandela Square comments:

“Nelson Mandela Square will be transformed into a space of celebration, commemoration, and South African-ness during Madiba’s 100th Centenary. It is a highly auspicious occasion and we are proud to be sharing moments of love, charity and tribute in Madiba’s memory with the public at none other than Nelson Mandela Square”.

Representing the City of Johannesburg, Councilor Leah Knott, MMC, Department of Economic Development, is delighted to be a guest of honour, whereby she will be unveiling the iMadiba Installation at Nelson Mandela Square, forming a week of significance in South Africa, as it leads the entire world in celebrating Madiba’s Centenary.

This first steel and mobile iteration of the installation forms part of the iMadiba Project, representing a global interactive and participative art project – creating conversation for change through the creation of art installations or micro-museums. “This is a significant event for us on a number of levels,” says Cllr Leah Knott “celebrating the centenary and legacy of one of the country’s most iconic leaders in Johannesburg, at the Square named after him is truly an honour.

Moreover, as a tourist destination, Johannesburg probably boasts more Mandela heritage sites than any other place in South Africa.”

The location of the City’s tourism offices in this vicinity, close to this tourism hotspot is fitting – as the City of Johannesburg advances tourism promotion, development and growth of economic imperatives for the City.

On Friday the 20th of July 2018, Nelson Mandela Square have granted permission to Special Olympics South Africa to celebrate their 50th Birthday. They will be lighting up Madiba’s statue in red in celebration and will host the likes of the Chairman of Special Olympics South Africa, Dr Mathews Phosa as well as Ambassadors Gin and Garreth “Soldier Boy” McLellan, Letshego Zulu, Mark Fish, John Vlismas, Kim Jayde and esteemed guests and Special Olympics South Africa staff.

Nelson Mandela said “it always seems impossible until it’s done,” and we look forward to celebrating the centennial milestone of Mandela’s exemplary life with you at Nelson Mandela Square.

To join the conversation, use the official hashtag  #BeTheLegacy #ActionAgainstPoverty and #MandelaDay on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as well as follow Nelson Mandela Square on Instagram @nelsonmandelasquare, Facebook @nelsonmandelasquare and @nelsonmandelasq on Twitter.

The iMadiba Project has been built in partnership with and in support of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. One of the aims of the project is to assist the foundation in its objective of honouring Madiba’s legacy, and inviting conversations in safe spaces. It has been made possible through the support of sponsors, and the ongoing need is to find more sponsors as the project grows. The project also produces income for the foundation.

The actual installations, or micro museums, are artistic recreations of Madiba’s Robben Island cell.

They are literal reminders of our past as South Africans and the future we continue to build together. The micro museum has bars, as the cell did, and its open doorway symbolises that the space is always open for conversation and reflection. People are invited to engage with the installations and understand what Mandela endured by feeling the cold concrete and the bars.

The micro museum is an exact replica of Mandela’s cell; the size of the cell will bring home to the audience the tiny space in which the former statesman lived for so many years. Through this engagement, we will be reminded of the oppressive, inhumane system that was in place, the work we have done in moving forward, and the work that is still ahead of us.

The Madiba project provides an opportunity to connect with each other and to dialogue with the values of Madiba to inspire and guide us. Erhardt Thiel is a photographer and artist who was inspired to create the installations as a way for people to identify themselves within Madiba’s legacy. His vision is to take the world’s smallest museum, one of his carefully constructed structural conversational installations, and turn it into the world’s largest museum thus ensuring that the legacy and voice of what the late Nelson Mandela stood for is spread around the globe by placing a sculpture in as many locations as possible.