A media conference to launch the public consultation on the memorial to Nelson Mandela was held in the Satinwood Suite of Glasgow City Chambers on 14 November 2025. Here is an edited video (17 minutes) of the conference.
There were representatives present from BBC and STV as well as the print media. Television news programmes reported on the conference that evening and there were televised interviews with Brian Filling, Chair of the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation. The newspapers carried online reports as well as printed articles.
The public consultation took place over the following week with people invited to view the maquettes (models) of the proposed memorial to Nelson Mandela by the five shortlisted sculptors.
The maquettes were placed in the entrance hall of the City Chambers along with exhibition boards outlining the development of the project and featuring previous work by the artists who had been shortlisted.
More than 500 people recorded their views either by visiting the exhibition or online including schoolchildren from eight schools. The comments were overwhelmingly positive.
The Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation invited professionals from the art world including sculptors to form an Evaluation Panel. Their views along with the responses from the public will feed into the Judging Panel which includes the South African High Commissioner and the Lord Provost of Glasgow. The Judging Panel will make a recommendation to the Foundation as to which sculptor should be commissioned to create the memorial to Nelson Mandela.