At 4pm on Friday 9 October 2026, the statue of Nelson Mandela will be unveiled in Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow.
In advance of that event a time capsule will be buried beneath the granite plinth. Date of this event is Thursday 1st October at 10.30am.
The capsule represents the thoughts and reflections of a cross section of pupils from schools across Glasgow and the West of Scotland. These eight schools engaged with the learning resource pack which was commissioned by the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation (NMSMF) and developed by the West of Scotland Education Development Centre (WoSDEC). This resource is titled, ‘When Mandela Danced in the Square’. It is mapped to the Scottish curriculum and covers the life of Mandela and the associated lessons for human rights, challenging racism and on taking action for a better world.
The Pupils’ reflections on Mandela’s characteristics and values, their views on society today, and their hopes for the future are inspiring. Their letters videos, sound files and artwork will be archived for future generations. These are encased within the sealed steel capsule.
A short ceremony will take place in Nelson Mandela Place on the 1st October at 10.30am. A group of school children will attend and will be welcomed by the Lord Provost and NMSMF Chair, Brian Filling. They will bury the time capsule, and a small choir will sing a celebratory version of the song, ‘When Mandela Danced in the Square’.
This initiative is part of an on-going educational strategy on the part of the Foundation. The statue will be underpinned by an online Information Portal accessed by QR code on the site of the statue. This will link to a range of information sources and further educational themes aimed at a range of audiences. The Foundation also maintains close links with Further and Higher education institutions. Significantly, Glasgow Caledonian University are custodians of the Anti-Apartheid Archives and items from the archives feature regularly in key exhibitions, Library communications, podcasts and blogs.
Brian Filling, Chair noted this ceremony as a further milestone in meeting the charity’s longstanding objectives saying, “This statue is a celebration of Mandela’s life and leadership and his connection to and affection for the people of Glasgow. It also marks our commitment to using his legacy as a catalyst for educational benefit. Mandela famously recognised that ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’. This initiative is the start of our own contribution to that journey.”
ENDS ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Further information from Brian Filling, Chair, Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial
Foundation.
Contact: b.filling@btinternet.com
Tel: 07989 346644
Issued by Janis Carson, jmgcarson@gmail.com on behalf of the Nelson Mandela
Scottish Memorial Foundation.
This release in NOT embargoed and is available for immediate use.