On 10 October 2025, the Thabo Mbeki Foundation marked its 15th anniversary with a week of events themed “Thanksgiving, Reflection, and Renewal.” A key moment was the groundbreaking ceremony for the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre in Johannesburg—a visionary space designed by Sir David Adjaye to serve as a “living library” and granary of African knowledge.
The event began with a Traditional African Consecration led by healers, followed by Inter-Faith Blessings from Rabbi Yossi Chaikin and Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, reflecting the continent’s spiritual diversity. Messages of support came from partners including the City of Johannesburg, Anglo American, and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.
Dr. Ebrima Sall, Executive Director of TrustAfrica, joined other dignitaries for a presentation and a virtual tour of the future museum, seminar rooms, and archive spaces of the Centre, which will eventually house the papers of Thabo Mbeki, Kwame Nkrumah, Lindiwe Mabuza, Kenneth Kaunda, and John Garang. While the Centre is still in development, Dr. Sall praised it as a vital hub for pan-African scholarship and memory.
The ceremony concluded with the symbolic demolition of the old building, paving the way for the Centre’s opening in 2028.
