Nelson Mandela Statue in London Parliament Square

A sculpture of Nelson Mandela by the late Ian Walters is now in place in Parliament Square. It was formally unveiled in the presence of Mr Mandela at a ceremony on 29 August 2007, following a long campaign led by the Mayor. Westminster Council's planning committee had earlier refused permission for it to be placed in Trafalgar Square, the location originally proposed by Donald Woods and the Nelson Mandela Statue Fund. The prominent position of the nine foot bronze statue, facing the Houses of Parliament, honours Nelson Mandela as one of the greatest fighters for freedom in the 20th century. It is also a permanent statement of London's abhorrence of apartheid and every other form of racism.