Icon and legendary world leader Nelson Mandela has been honoured with a statue in Bulgaria that will be unveiled this afternoon at the Polygraphia Office Center in Sofia.
The event was organised by the South African Embassy in Bulgaria and its partners, Lion’s Head and Polygraphia Office Center.
The statue will be officially unveiled by South Africa’s ambassador to Bulgaria, Thabo Thage; Nikolay Milkov, minister of foreign affairs; Yordanka Fandakova, mayor of Sofia; and Christo Iliev, CEO of Lion’s Head.
The initiative was announced by the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, with the event also marking the 30th anniversary of successful diplomatic relations between South Africa and Bulgaria, which have contributed to the development of both countries.
"The embassy initiated this project with the aim of preserving the legacy of Mr Nelson Mandela and celebrating his life dedicated to a cause, which made him a celebrated global statesman in the struggle for peace and equality. Bulgaria presented Mr Mandela with the Georgi Dimitrov Order in 1986, which was the highest order under the previous dispensation in the country, at a time when he was in prison. In 2008, he was recognised again, – with the Stara Planina Order, which is the highest order under the present democratic dispensation in Bulgaria. Mr Mandela has been awarded more than 250 prizes, including the Nobel Peace Prize (1993)," read a department statement.
According to the department, the project was realised entirely through the generous financing provided by Polygraphia Office Center JSC, with the company providing the location for the statue and covering all costs of its installation and maintenance.
"The company owns the office building and adjacent property. Polygraphia Office Center, as well as Megapark in Sofia and three buildings in Bucharest, are part of the Lion's Head’s portfolio. It is a joint venture between AG Capital and Old Mutual Property, which is part of the Old Mutual Group, a financial group founded more than 170 years ago in South Africa and operating in 14 countries worldwide," added the department.
The sculptor of the statue is South African Zelda Stroud, and its unveiling in Sofia has received the official backing of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
More than 120 streets, boulevards, roads, and bridges worldwide bear the name of Mandela, and monuments to him have been mounted in Santiago, Milan, London, and many other places across the world.
The Star