MANDELA GANDHI A legacy of peace, change and reconciliation (1869 – 2013)
DIGITAL EXHIBITION AND YOUTH SUMMIT
Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi lived in different times and faced different opponents, but both leaders changed the destiny of their people for the better. They personally acknowledge the presence of the other in spirit and culture. Nelson Mandela said – “The spirit of Gandhi may well be a key to human survival in the 21st century.” Mahatma Gandhi said: “It was after I went to South Africa that I became what I am now.”
The core of this exhibition is to present the similarities between the two leaders, trace their path and plot the trajectory. The viewer would be surprised at the number of times they run parallel. The times they intersect they are based on the situation of that time and region. The exhibition outlines the development of their moral fiber and how the core principals of leadership are the same between the two leaders.
An integral part of the exhibition will showcase Madiba’s connections with India, his visits and the emotional connect with the Indian people. It will outline his inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi and how the Gandhian philosophy of non-violence helped shape his own transformation and adoption of the values of peace and reconciliation.
The exhibition is in a digital engagement format and allows viewers to interact at various levels. Multi touch and gesture controlled interfaces allow presentation in the latest technologies enhancing the viewer experience. It is curated by Birad Rajaram Yajnik, author of the book – Peace Truth Ahimsa – a photo biography of Mahatma Gandhi. A special edition of this book was released at the United Nations in 2010 to mark the international day of Non Violence. He is also the curator for the first digital interactive museum on Mahatma Gandhi at Hyderabad, India.
The exhibition will be opened on the 18th of July 2014 on Mandela Day at the Constitution Hill. Juxtaposing on the 19th of July a Youth Summit would engage participants from 50 high schools on how the values of Mandela and Gandhi can be adopted in the 21st century.