135 years ago the Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York Harbor. Now a new statue known as the “little sister” has been installed at the French Ambassador’s home in Washington D.C.
The miniature Lady Liberty was launched in a ceremony with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as well as French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. This happened on Wednesday.
“But I think it’s fair to say that fraternité is the word that best defines the relationship between our people and our ongoing struggle to improve our democracies and advance the ideals embodied in the light that shines the world, at home and around the world,” said Secretary Blinken.
“So may she continue to remind us the principles we share and the work that remains to live up to them. And may we never be cured of yearning for freedom.”
“it means a lot” to have the statue in the United States, calling it “a strong reminder … of the friendship between the French people and the American people,” said the French Ambassador French Ambassador Philippe Etienne.
Photo: Statue of Liberty replica “little sister” being installed at the French Ambassador’s residence in Washington D.C. The “little sister” is an exact copy of the original but is one-sixteenth the size. The statue was created by sculptor Auguste Barthold’s 1878 plaster model. It initially was displayed in Paris, France at the National Museum of Arts and Crafts for 10 years and now it has began its journey in United States.
The statue which weighs 453.5 kilograms and was uninstalled in June from the Museum and packed in a plexiglass container (custom-made) ready for the journey to the USA.
“We trucked her very carefully to Le Havre, France, where we put her on board one of our CMA CGM ships and then took her to New Jersey and then trucked her to Ellis Island, and then eventually we trucked her down here to the Ambassador’s residence,” said an official of the logistics company which transported the statue.
The statue will remain at the ambassador’s residence in Washington D.C. for 10 years.
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