Remember Saro-Wiwa1 April 2005
An initiative to create a Living Memorial for the activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa was launched at City Hall in London on the 22 March, ahead of the 10th anniversary of the writer's death.
Ken Saro-Wiwa
The Living Memorial will be Britain's first deliberately mobile memorial.
An international competition will invite inspiring ideas for the project, and a shortlist of five proposals will be exhibited in the run-up to the anniversary.
Remembering the past, shaping the future
Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his colleagues were executed by the Nigerian Government on 10 November 1995 following their campaign against the devastating environmental impacts of oil companies - including Shell - in the Niger Delta.
The issues my father fought and died for are as urgent today in the Niger Delta and around the world as they were in 1995
Ken Wiwa, Ken Saro-Wiwa's son
The Living Memorial will focus attention on the ongoing reality of the struggle for social and environmental justice in lands upon which Britain depends for the natural resources that fuel its economy.
It will not be a monument that only remembers the past but one that helps to shape the future.
Ken Saro-Wiwa was a truly inspirational man. A living, mobile memorial will help ensure that his legacy continues to thrive.
Ken Livingstone - Mayor of London
Who's involved
Remember Saro-Wiwa is a coalition of organisations and individuals initiated and co-ordinated by PLATFORM, and include, amongst others:
- Friends of the Earth
- Greenpeace
- Christian Aid
- Amnesty International
- Human Rights Watch
For more information and to enter the design competition see:
© Greenpeace/Lambon
