Mandela Family to lead events promoting diversity in Liverpool

A Nelson Mandela memorial is set to be unveiled in Liverpool, with the Mandela Family present for the occasion.

In celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day – Mandela8,  Liverpool BID Company, Torus Group and The Big Help Project will host the Mandela Family for the official opening of the Nelson Mandela Memorial.

A series of events following will explore how the city’s business community can become more diverse, and how the qualities Nelson Mandela exemplified can be part of the city’s business culture.

The events, marking the tenth anniversary of the death of the visionary leader, will also explore business partnerships between Liverpool and South Africa. 

Nelson Mandela International Day, on Tuesday 18 July 2023, shines a light on the legacy of a man who changed the 20th century and helped to shape the 21st. The day is used as a moment to renew the values that inspired Nelson Mandela, and to examine how his values should inspire us to take action and make a change. 

Mandela8 was established to commemorate the life of Nelson Mandela through the creation of a permanent memorial in Princes Park, Liverpool 8. This summer it will be unveiled to coincide with Mandela Day. 

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.”

The events will include;

• The official opening of the memorial in Princes Park

• An audience with the Mandela Family at Liverpool Everyman Theatre. A public event and panel discussion hosted by Marcus Ryder MBE and including Dr Maki Mandela & Tukwini Mandela. 

• A dinner with North West civic and business leaders, hosted by Downtown Liverpool in Business at Hope Street Hotel

Liverpool BID Company will also be supporting businesses to take up the Mandela Day campaign, as championed by the Mandela family.

Nelson Mandela spent 67 years of his life fighting for social justice and human rights and on Mandela day we ask you to do an act of kindness for someone else or in your community, to support the campaign.  

Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool BID Company, said:

“We are proud to be welcoming the Mandela family to Liverpool and for them to lead this series of events, in partnership with Mandela8 helping to shape the city for the future. Our business community should reflect the rich diversity of Liverpool and we continue to work and learn to drive that forward.”

Sonia Bassey MBE, Chair 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.”  

Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson

“Liverpool is immensely proud of our relationship with the Mandela family. It’s a connection that greatly enriches our civic life and helps to promote a wider understanding of the universal themes of social justice – lessons which are as apt today as they’ve ever been.

“The unveiling of the memorial at Princes Park on Nelson Mandela International Day will be a red letter day for the city and will further cement the bonds we already have and treasure. It’s heartening to see so many people and organisations involved in this event and underlines how much of an inspiration the great man himself continues to be.”

For more info on the Mandela Family and the series of events click HERE.