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This celebration of the achievement of democracy in South Africa was held on South Africa Freedom Day, 26 June 1994, in Brockwell Park, south London. The day was also the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Anti-Apartheid Movement. Hundreds of balloons were released in the colours of the new South African flag. The event also featured South African music and world dance, the AAM’s annual Freedom Run and an exhibition on the ANC’s Reconstruction and Development Programme. 

Poster advertising a concert on 9 July 1994 celebrating South Africa’s first democratic election. The concert featured South African artists and was organised by Islington Council in north London.

The AAM Women’s Committee campaigned to ensure that individual women political prisoners were not forgotten. This leaflet gave details of the sentences of six women prisoners and asked people to write to the South African ambassador in London, the British Foreign Secretary and the British Red Cross calling for their release.

After the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President in May 1994, the AAM looked forward to helping South Africa overcome the legacy of apartheid. This postcard was part of this initiative. In October 1994 the AAM set up a successor organisation, Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA).

In October 1994 Mozambique held its first multi-party elections after 18 years of civil war. Under the slogan ‘Mozambique Now!’ the AAM and the Mozambique Angola Committee lobbied the British government to help ensure that the opposition group RENAMO observed the Mozambique peace agreement reached in October 1992. They worked to ensure that British organisations were better informed about the situation in Mozambique and pressed for more international election observers. 

Set of postcards illustrating South African women’s resistance to apartheid, produced by Leeds Postcards for the International Defence and Aid Fund and distributed by the AAM.

This T-shirt was produced in several colours, including turquoise and deep pink.