Nelson Mandela was remembered on 5 December, the first anniversary of his death, at special events in Leeds and in Haringey, north London. In Leeds, civic leaders, community groups and young people gathered in Mandela Gardens to watch a specially commissioned film about Mandela’s legacy. In Haringey, where local residents played a big part in the campaign for Mandela’s release, people were asked to come to Bruce Castle Museum on Saturday 6 December to record their memories. The event accompanied an exhibition ‘Nelson Mandela and the Haringey Anti-Apartheid Movement’, which runs until 21 December.
Leeds City Council named the gardens in front of Leeds City Hall Nelson Mandela Gardens in 1982 at a ceremony attended by ANC representative Ruth Mompati. In 2001 Mandela visited Leeds, where he was presented with the Freedom of the City. The tribute on 5 December began at 4pm and continued at a community event at the Mandela Centre on Chapeltown Road. The Leader of Leeds City Council, Cllr Keith Wakefield, said ‘After Nelson Mandela’s tragic death, the outpouring of grief from the people of Leeds showed just how much this exceptional man meant to the city. It’s fitting that we celebrate the special connection our city shares with someone who has become a symbol of freedom and justice across the world.’
You can watch a short version of the film that will be shown in Leeds here.