Pretoria (ICRC) - Minister of Public Enterprises Barbara Hogan will officially open an art and photo exhibition entitled "150 years of humanity: the Red Cross in
Action" on 24 June at the Old Woman's Jail, Constitution Hill, Pretoria. The exhibition is being hosted by the ICRC's Pretoria Regional Delegation.
"We host this exhibition to
commemorate not only the Battle of Solferino, a battle that marked the birth of the Red Cross, but to pay special tribute to the work of the Red Cross in South Africa and to the recipients of that
work.
The ICRC has been active in South Africa since 1963 when our first prison visit was carried out to the late Robert Sobukwe.
Up to 1991 the ICRC visited hundreds of
political prisoners across South Africa, including Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Barbara Hogan, always doing what we could to try and make life better and easier," said ICRC head of delegation
Catherine Gendre.
The exhibition will be on display from 24 June to 3 July and includes artwork by Anna Mueller and photos of the Red Cross in action, with exclusive photos of the ICRC's
work during Apartheid.
Guest speakers at the opening event include Nicolas de Rougemont, a former ICRC delegate who visited Robben Island, the Women's Jail and other prisons in South Africa
between 1974 and 1991.
Entertainment will be provided by well-known pennywhistlers Kwela Tebza.
For further information, please contact:
Annemarie Watt or Janine
Mosetlhi, ICRC Pretoria, tel: +27 12 430 7335 or +27 82 559 2046
