South Africa

Ray of hope

Nation: South Africa National Day: 16.06.00

A veil of water in which light is refracted a thousand times looks like a ray of hope. Stylised trees - made from steel and glass - symbolise deeply rooted traditions and history. Screens attached to the large leaves of the tree tops show pictures of children, the future of the country. You can throw coins into a magic fountain which are used to support the children's foundation of former President Nelson Mandela.

In its open, two-storey pavilion, South Africa builds a bridge between prehistoric times and its reaching for the stars. In a model of the caves of Sterkfontein, where hominid bones were found, you can observe the excavation works on video. A model to scale of the largest and most modern telescope in the Southern hemisphere is exhibited against the backdrop of Southern star formations.