Nelson Mandela Foundation

Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star

During his time as a public figure, the late Mr Nelson Mandela, or Madiba, touched and positively enriched the lives of thousands of children.

In the early years after his release, he would often sing his own version of the nursery rhyme Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star during visits to small children. Over time, this became something of a tradition, and children would join in with gusto and enthusiasm whenever Madiba initiated the song.

The new online exhibition, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, features a slideshow of images of Mr Mandela with children dating from the early 1950s right up until July 2010, including a selection of his quotes.

Complementing the slideshow is a video montage of Reuters footage showing Mr Mandela interacting with small children – singing, dancing, talking and sharing in the unique and special way that helped him put a twinkle in the eye of thousands, if not millions, of children.