International Portraits of Power to Honour Outstanding Women at the Union Buildings
The Presidency, the Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke Institute and participating diplomatic missions will host the inaugural International Portraits of Power exhibition at the Amphitheatre of the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday. According to SAnews, the exhibition forms part of South Africa’s Women’s Month programme and will celebrate extraordinary women whose courage, leadership and contributions have shaped nations and inspired generations. The event brings together history, art, diplomacy and gender equality in one symbolic setting, placing women’s legacies at the heart of national and international reflection.
The International Portraits of Power is a Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke Institute initiative designed to honour women who have left a lasting mark on their countries and communities. Through a carefully curated portrait exhibition, the project will present women not only as historical figures, but as powerful symbols of courage, sacrifice, leadership and social change. The Presidency said the women featured in the exhibition were nominated by their respective countries, ensuring that each portrait reflects a legacy recognised and valued within its own national context.
The choice of the Union Buildings as the venue gives the exhibition strong political and historical meaning. As the seat of the South African Presidency, the Union Buildings represent governance, public memory and national identity. Hosting the exhibition there sends a clear message that women’s stories belong in the centre of public life, not on the margins of history. It also connects the event to South Africa’s own long tradition of women’s activism, from anti-colonial and anti-apartheid struggles to modern campaigns for equality, representation and social justice.
The exhibition will feature portraits of iconic women whose lives reflect the history, values and aspirations of their nations. These portraits have been created by South African artists in collaboration with participating diplomatic missions. This collaboration gives the project a unique cultural depth: countries nominate the women, diplomats help interpret their significance, and South African artists translate those legacies into visual form. The result is more than an art display; it is a conversation between nations, generations and creative traditions.
By using portraiture, the exhibition gives visibility to women whose contributions may otherwise be remembered only in speeches, books or official records. A portrait can humanise history. It allows visitors to look directly into the face of leadership, resilience and sacrifice. Whether the women honoured were freedom fighters, educators, political leaders, cultural pioneers, scientists, community builders or defenders of justice, the exhibition gives their stories a visual presence that can inspire new audiences, especially young people.
The initiative also forms part of the recently launched Milestones of Freedom campaign, which seeks to preserve liberation history and deepen public understanding of South Africa’s democratic journey. Within that broader campaign, International Portraits of Power adds an important international dimension. It reminds South Africans that the struggle for women’s equality is not isolated to one country. Across Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania, women have challenged injustice, advanced human rights, built institutions and opened doors for future generations.
The Presidency said the exhibition supports government’s Women’s Month programme by honouring women’s activism towards equality and strengthening cultural diplomacy. This cultural diplomacy element is important because art can often communicate across borders more powerfully than formal statements alone. By bringing diplomatic missions into partnership with South African artists and institutions, the exhibition creates space for countries to share stories of women who shaped their national identity while also building people-to-people connections through culture.
The event is expected to bring together government representatives, cultural practitioners, academics and diplomatic missions from across several regions. Their participation reflects the broad relevance of the exhibition. It is not only an occasion for commemoration, but also an opportunity for dialogue about representation, memory, leadership and the unfinished work of gender equality. In a world where women still face barriers in politics, business, education, safety and economic participation, celebrating powerful women from history can help strengthen the call for more inclusive futures.
The involvement of the Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke Institute adds further meaning to the initiative. Charlotte Maxeke remains one of South Africa’s most important women leaders, remembered for her role as an intellectual, activist, educator and champion of justice. An exhibition that honours outstanding women from around the world under an initiative linked to her name strengthens the bridge between South Africa’s own women’s liberation history and the global movement for equality. It reminds the country that women’s leadership has always been present, even when history failed to give it full recognition.
