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SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY IN ROME: NEWSLETTER

Unveiling of the Stature of OR Tambo in

Reggio Emilia

On 2 December 2017, Deputy Minister Jeffery accompanied H.E. Ambassador Tambo and members of the

Tambo family to a ceremony arranged by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia in OR Tambo Park, where a life-

sized statue of OR Tambo was unveiled. The statue was sourced by the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foun-

dation, in line with its objectives of addressing issues of socio-economic upliftment and advancement, edu-

cation, women's empowerment and the promotion of arts, culture and heritage initiatives.

A group of approximately 45 local and South African dignitaries participated in the unveiling ceremony.

Speakers at the unveiling were: Deputy Mayor of Reggio Emilia, responsible for international relations, Ms

Serena Foracchia, the President of Boorea, Mr Luca Bosi, and well-known figure in the Arts world of South

Africa and Trustee of the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation, Mr Dali Tambo. All speakers paid tribute to

the remarkable life and legacy of OR Tambo and the people of the City of Reggio Emilia for their support for

the struggle against apartheid.

Mr Dali Tambo shared deeply personal anecdotes of the life of his father. In the context of the 40th Anniver-

sary of the signing of the Solidarity Pact, he

stressed the importance of preserving the long-

standing brotherly relations between the peoples of

South Africa and Reggio Emilia in standing shoulder

to shoulder in the struggle against apartheid. He said

that the remarkable like- ness of the statue allowed

the viewer to engage with the historical figure of OR

Tambo and the values that he stood for. The stature

would serve as yet another reason for South Africans

to return to Reggio Emilia and further build on the re-

lationship that exists with the people of Reggio Emi-

lia. He also paid tribute to the historic support and

contribution made by Mr Giuseppe Soncini and not-

ed how fitting it was for the statue of OR Tambo to be

located adjacent to the me- morial that had been erect-

ed by the City of Reggio Emilia to Mr Soncini.

Ambassador Tambo and family after the unveiling of the Statue

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