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The Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988 was attended by a capacity audience of 72,000 and broadcast to over 60 countries. The concert was the opening event in the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. The concert programme carried features on the artists taking part, including Stevie Wonder, Whoopi Goldberg, Whitney Houston, George Michael, Sting, Dire Straits and Simple Minds.

This brochure set out the key events in the ‘Nelson Mandela Freedom at 70’ campaign. The day after the Wembley Stadium concert on 11 June, 25 freedom marchers set off from Glasgow on a 5-week march stopping at 32 towns and cities. On 17 July over 50,000 people joined the marchers on the last leg of the march to Hyde Park, where a crowd of a quarter of a million people heard Desmond Tutu call for Mandela’s release. The AAM produced 1 million ‘Free Mandela’ badges for people to wear on Mandela’s birthday. The campaign was the biggest ever organised by the Anti-Apartheid Movement. It projected Nelson Mandela as the future leader of a non-racial South Africa in the eyes of people throughout the world.

Poster advertising the concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988 as part of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast to ove 60 countries with a potential audience of a billion people. Oliver Tambo was the guest of honour and Stevie Wonder, Whitney and Sting were among the performers.

One of a set of five posters specially commissioned from leading graphic artists for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988. This poster was designed by Keith Haring. The posters were featured on the stage set.

One of a set of five posters specially commissioned from leading graphic artists for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988. This poster was designed by Mozambican artist Malangatana Ngwenya. The posters were featured on the stage set.

One of a set of five posters specially commissioned from leading graphic artists for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988. This poster was designed by Ralph Steadman. The posters were featured on the stage set.

One of a set of five posters specially commissioned from leading graphic artists for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988. This poster was designed by Sue Coe. The posters were featured on the stage set.

One of a set of five posters specially commissioned from leading graphic artists for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988. This poster reproduced a woodcut by the Namibian artist John Muafangejo, who died in 1987. The posters were featured on the stage set.