Opening of the Exhibition in Pretoria „Threads of Solidarity: European Support for the Struggle Against Apartheid" in South Africa

As South Africa commemorates more than 30 years of democracy, the Freedom Park Heritage in Pretoria, in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and the Embassies of the European Union Member States in Pretoria, on Monday, December 1, 2025, an exhibition titled "Threads of Solidarity: European Support for the Struggle Against Apartheid" was officially opened. The exhibition demonstrates that when countries and their people stand in solidarity to fight injustice, change is possible.
 
The exhibition is open to all visitors from Tuesday, December 2, 2025 and explores how European Union (EU) member states, EU organizations, and individuals supported South Africa's struggle for liberation from apartheid. The exhibition offered an insight into an extraordinary story that spans more than 70 years of engagement between European countries and South Africa, and follows how the European identity in development as a union based on peace and human rights is intertwined with the fight against racial segregation in South Africa.
 
Through immersive storytelling, an interactive map, and visuals, “Threads of Solidarity: Europe’s Contribution to the Struggle Against Apartheid” captures the essence of a global movement that transcended borders and ideologies. At the heart of the exhibition is a large-scale installation made up of 27 symbolic squares, each representing one EU Member State.
 
The Republic of Croatia is represented by a photo of the late president, Dr. Franje Tuđman and a copy of the letter sent to the late South African President Nelson Mandela in October 1994, congratulating him on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. On the lower part of the Croatian square displays the universal quote by prominent Croatian poet and political dissident Mr. Vlado Gotovac: "Freedom is not given, nor is it taken - it is lived. It is the expression of the human spirit, in all its dignity, and it transcends those who attempt to suppress it".
Each square tells a unique story - of diplomats, citizens, artists, students, and activists who stood by South Africans in their darkest hour. In the exhibition layout, a central interactive map allows visitors to explore how solidarity was expressed in different countries. Freedom Park Executive Director Jane Mufamadi said, “This exhibition is not just a commemoration of the past, but also a reaffirmation of our shared responsibility to uphold human dignity and social justice everywhere.”
 
The Ambassador of the European Union in Pretoria, HE Sandra Kramer, pointed out that "the exhibition shows how change is possible when people, institutions, and countries stand in solidarity, on all continents, in the fight against injustice. It is also a vivid example of the shared values that have been at the heart of the partnership between South Africa and Europe for the past 30 years: democracy, human dignity, equality, freedom, and the rule of law. We look towards the next 30 years not as economic partners, but as reliable, strategic allies committed to the sustainable growth, resiliency, and prosperity of our peoples."
The exhibition will be open to visitors at Freedom Park Heritage until March 2026, after which it will tour throughout South Africa.

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