Public Programming

The Nelson Mandela Museum’s public programming provides access to its resources for the people of South Africa, regardless of their geographical location. In the early stages of the Museum, the focus of public programming was to deliver mission compelling programmes to the immediate communities. Over the years, it formed partnerships with institutions that had a shared history and common goals, notably among them is the Robben Island Museum in Cape Town, Hector Peterson Museum in Johannesburg and Luthuli Museum in Stanger.

These partnerships allowed the Museum to reach learners in other provinces of the Republic of South Africa. As a result, in the past three years, it has hosted campers from all the nine provinces of South Africa.

Further to this, through international partnerships, public programming allows the museum to host international youth camps and also facilitates young South Africans attending youth camps in other countries, essential for the sharing of knowledge and experiences. Most notable of these partnerships is that of the Nelson Mandela Museum and the Government Of Lower Saxony in Germany, and the Michigan State University in the United States.

The Nelson Mandela Museum’s partnership with the Anne Frank Foundation, which began in 2007, has seen South African uouth attending youth camps in Germany and German youth contributing to the growth of the South African arts industry through music etc. A CD was produced in 2008 through a collaboration of the OR Tambo Jazz Ensemble and jazz musicians from Lower Saxony. Four high school learners visited Germany in March where they attended an International camp commemorating the victims of the holocaust. The camp was a build up project for the 2011 Youth Camp that will be held in South Africa. Eleven European countries will be participating, as well as three central and North African countries.