Item 2254 - The city of Paris names a garden after Nelson Mandela; Jardin Nelson Mandela

On the 7th Of June 1990, on his first trip abroad after imprisonment, Nelson Mandela visited the City of Paris and gave a speech. He was received like a head of state, although he was not one at the time. Accompanied by Mama Winnie Madikizela Mandela, that trip to France came with a clear message that "France must support a new & reformed South Africa". Four years later, Nelson Mandela became the first black democratic President of South Africa. A few weeks after his election, François Mitterr became the first Head of State to be received on an official visit by Madiba. The garden was opened in May 2018, after 5 years of work.
Zandile Myeka, a Metadata and Photographs Archivist at the Nelson Mandela Foundation visited the garden in July 2024, and took photographs of the €40 million, four hectares green space garden.