JOHANNESBURG
A giant tapestry in honor of the icon of the anti-apartheid movement Nelson Mandela was unveiled Thursday at Cape Town International Airport, as part of International Human Rights Day.
The artwork was made in partnership between Art for Amnesty and the Cape Town International Airport.
"This tapestry is a fitting tribute to Nelson Mandela, a champion of human rights across the world" Bill Shipsey, founder of Art for Amnesty said in a statement mailed to Anadolu Agency.
He said the artwork displayed at the international arrivals hall of the Cape Town airport will provide a constant reminder to millions of people passing through the airport about the legacy of Mandela.
The tapestry titled 'Flying Madiba' (Mandela’s ancestral name) was designed by acclaimed Czech artist Peter Sis and woven by Atelier Pinton in Aubusson in France. It measures about 6 x 3 meters.
Amnesty said the tapestry has been backed and funded by Amnesty International artist supporters Bono and the Edge of U2, John Legend, Peter Gabriel, Sting and Yoko Ono.
"Madiba sacrificed his own freedom to see a better world for everyone. With this tapestry, we are honoring his sacrifices and hoping that he will be remembered forever," Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s deputy director for Southern Africa, said.
Mandela became South Africa's first democratically elected president, post-apartheid, in 1994, an office he held for five years.
He is revered by most South Africans as the father of their nation after spending 27 years in prison for taking up arms to fight the apartheid regime.
He died on Dec. 5, 2013 at the age of 95 after suffering from a lung infection.