Luanda — Angolan President João Lourenço assessed on Wednesday, in Luanda, the progress of the works on the future Memorial to the Victims of Political Conflicts, a project led by the Commission for the Implementation of the Reconciliation Plan in Memory of the Victims of Political Conflicts (CIVICOP).
The infrastructure, under construction in the Nova Marginal area, close to the Dr. António Agostinho Neto Memorial, in Praia do Bispo, represents one of the main undertakings linked to the preservation of collective memory and the tribute to the victims of the Angola Civil Conflict after independence.
During the visit, the Head of State toured the different areas of the work and received technical explanations about the physical execution level of the project, the works in progress and the deadlines established for the delivery.
The information was presented by architect Fineza Teta, author of the memorial's artistic concept, as well as by those responsible for the execution of the project.
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On the occasion, the director of the Special Works Office (GOE), Leonel Cruz, informed that the undertaking is valued at approximately 35 billion kwanzas.
The memorial is intended to honor the victims of the conflicts that occurred in Angola between Nov 11, 1975, and April 4, 2002, within the framework of the national reconciliation policy promoted by the Angolan State.
The main architectural structure, called "Eternal Alliance," includes two nine-story towers, symbolizing the periods of conflict and peace among Angolans, in a concept associated with forgiveness, unity, and national reconciliation.
At approximately 35 meters high, the building will include exhibition halls, a convention hall, a digital archive, a technical building, a souvenir shop, green areas, a visitor plaza, and a parking lot with capacity for 106 vehicles.
The complex will also feature the Hall of Memory, conceived as a solemn space inspired by a rainbow, a symbol of prosperity, peace, and national reconciliation, and incorporates sculptural and symbolic elements linked to the memory of the victims of the conflicts.
Among the planned elements are also the "Mulembeira da Reconciliação" (Reconciliation Tree), a petrified structure surrounded by 7 trees representing Angolan cultural schools, as well as the "Mastros Cintilantes" (Shimmering Masts), a symbolic vertical element representing the healing of collective memory and a tribute to the victims of political conflicts.
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According to technical data presented during the presidential visit, the electricity, water, and telecommunications infrastructures are in an advanced stage of execution.
A Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) with a capacity of 400 cubic meters is also under construction, intended to serve the complex and complementary infrastructures.
The construction contract was signed on March 7, 2023, with work starting in April 2024 and is scheduled to be delivered by 2027.
