The Nelson Mandela Legacy Exhibition and Education Programme at City Hall won the first prize at the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s Cultural Affairs Awards.
- The Cultural Affairs Awards were hosted by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) and recognise and celebrate cultural, linguistic and heritage excellence in the province. The exhibition took top honours in the Museums, Heritage and Geographical Names award category for its contribution towards the promotion of local history and heritage.
Developed by the City of Cape Town in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Nelson Mandela in Cape Town – Legacy Exhibition is a permanent exhibition on the first floor of the Cape Town City Hall where Madiba made his first public address after being released from prison on Sunday, 11 February 1990. A bronze statue of Madiba was installed on the very balcony where he gave the speech.
The walk-through exhibition was officially opened on 10 December 2021. It is laid out in a timeline format and consists of interactive displays, interpretive panels, audio-visual experiences, and various newspapers, objects, protest posters, and letters written by Mandela, all expertly curated by the dedicated team from the City’s Environmental Management Department. The resulting experience takes visitors on an emotional journey through the life and times of Nelson Mandela, including his years spent in Cape Town and on Robben Island.
In addition to linking visitors to the legacy of Madiba, the exhibition recognises the invaluable contributions of other Capetonians who were involved in the liberation struggle, including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Cissie Gool and Ashley Kriel.
‘We are extremely proud of the award and the recognition it gives to the work, planning, care and dedication that went into this exhibition. It is world-class, and the growing number of visitors to City Hall confirms the value of the exhibition and its contribution to our rich heritage. I want to thank and congratulate the officials from the City’s Environmental Management Department who collaborated with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to bring this to light. I also want to congratulate the Foundation, and thank their personnel for their invaluable guidance and assistance with the exhibition,’ said Councillor Aslam Cassiem, the Chairperson of the City’s Portfolio Committee on Spatial Planning and Environment.
Barely a year on, the exhibition is already a popular cultural tourist attraction for local and international visitors:
• by the end of September 2022 the exhibition attracted 3 297 visitors, among which 1 365 primary and secondary school learners from public, private and home schools across the city, all of who visited the exhibition to participate in its immersive education programme that was launched on 24 February 2022.
The Nelson Mandela in Cape Town – Legacy Exhibition and Education Programme won the first prize at the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s Cultural Affairs Awards last night, 12 October 2022. Marc Smith and Lindie Buirski from the City’s Environmental Management Department, together with Councillor Aslam Cassiem, Chairperson of the City’s Portfolio Committee on Spatial Planning and Environment, received the award on behalf of the City of Cape Town and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
In addition to guided learner tours, a fully-equipped learning space has been created off the main exhibition floor, where learners are able to go and reflect on what they have experienced, or undertake one of the eight lessons, developed by specialist educational consultants, for grades R to 12. These lesson plans are aligned to the Life Skills and Social Science (History) learning areas of the national curriculum. Downloading is free from the exhibition’s website or the Western Cape Education Department’s ePortal under ‘Heritage & Culture’.
Many under-resourced schools have benefited from the City’s sponsorship of catering and transport, aimed at enabling learners and educators from these schools to benefit from the education programme.
The exhibition is increasingly popular with Cape Town tour guides, many of whom now either begin or end their tours at City Hall. The exhibition and other Cape Town heritage experiences are promoted in partnership with Cape Town Tourism, and have been included in the 2022 Cape Town Visitor Guide.
WHAT: Nelson Mandela Legacy Exhibition
WHERE: Cape Town City Hall, Darling Street, Cape Town 8001
INFO: Visit
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