Mandela8 are unveiling a Nelson Mandela memorial in Liverpool
To mark the tenth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, Mandela8 will be unveiling their Nelson Mandela Memorial in Princes Park to commemorate the figurehead’s legacy and values. Big Help Project, alongside other businesses, are proud to have formed a partnership with the charitable organisation and to be supporting these events.
Alongside a number of events marking Nelson Mandela International Day, and the tenth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, Big Help Project will be supporting Mandela8 alongside Liverpool BID Company and Torus Group, to host the Mandela Family for the official opening of the Nelson Mandela Memorial.
Mandela8 is a charitable organization in Liverpool, formed with the initial vision to install a permanent artwork that can facilitate important conversation, and function as a unique piece of performance and contemplation space, working to celebrate and continue the legacy of Nelson Mandela’s incredible achievements. This summer, the permanent memorial in Princes Park will be unveiled to coincide with Mandela Day.
At Big Help’s first 2023 Windrush event on Saturday 3rd June, held at the Lutyen’s Crypt at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Sonia Bassey MBE - Chair of Mandela8 - spoke about the upcoming memorial unveiling stating that her involvement in the campaign was ‘a no brainer’. Behind the memorial is a group of artists who were commissioned to conceptualise an installation that properly reflects the life and legacy of Mandela. The project takes the form of an ‘outdoor classroom’ which Sonia said ‘has great synergy with Nelson Mandela’s values in real life and in prison’.
The events will explore business partnerships between Liverpool and South Africa, addressing how the city’s business community can become more diverse and aligned with the qualities that Nelson Mandela exemplified.
The international day, Tuesday 18th July 2023, will be an opportunity to renew the values that Nelson Mandela held and was inspired by, encouraging us to take action and make change.
In 2019 we sponsored the visit of Dr. Makaziwe Mandela and Tukwini Mandela, and we are excited to welcome them back to Liverpool in light of the new memorial being unveiled in Princes Park. The work of Big Help Project is emblematic of the values upheld by Nelson Mandela, and we are excited to be continuing our strong relationship with Mandela8, demonstrating our equally strong dedication to their mission and values.
Events being held during this week will include:
The official opening of the Mandela8 memorial in Princes Park.
An audience with the Mandela Family at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre, consisting of a public event and panel discussion that will include Dr. Maki Mandela and Tukwini Mandela, hosted by Marcus Ryder MBE.
A dinner with North West civic and business leaders, hosted by Downtown Liverpool in Business at Hope Street Hotel.
Dr Makaziwe Mandela said:
“The Mandela8 Memorial to my Father Nelson Mandela is a moving and truly inspirational tribute to the sacrifices he and his comrades made to rid South Africa of the violent apartheid system. Being involved in this journey seeing the stones made and installed has been a very emotional experience for myself and my daughter Tukwini. To think that all the way in Liverpool, what my dad stood for in life still resonates with a lot of people today, emphasises that rarely is social and political transformation an individual effort; often it is a result of an accumulation of forces. We are looking forward to officially opening the memorial.”.
Sonia Bassey MBE, Chair of Mandela8 said:
“We are delighted to be with Dr Maki and Tukwini again when they officially open the memorial. It will be a significant and emotional moment to see the memorial open and being used as an outdoor classroom to educate people and continue to seek harmony, love and peace in the world based on Nelson Mandela’s values that are still relevant today.
We want people from all over the world to visit the memorial and for its educational properties to be realised by people of all ages across Liverpool and beyond. We are truly grateful to all our partners.”.
Big Help Project’s CEO, Peter Mitchell, said:
"Mandela8 are forging the future of an incredibly significant legacy in Liverpool. I'm very proud to run Big Help Project as a charity which upholds the values of Nelson Mandela through our extensive provision of services to those in need, and we're proud to welcome the Mandela family back to Liverpool. We are dedicated to maintaining our commitment to addressing the diverse needs of those in and around the region, and our business community should reflect this same diversity.".
Big Help Project is incredibly proud to be part of such a significant project and partnership. Nelson Mandela’s values are a huge driving factor of the work that we do on a daily basis, and we are committed as an organization to collaborate with organisations such as Mandela8 to commemorate such a significant legacy through this partnership.