The Statue of Liberty's "Little Sister" to Join for Independence Day
Have you heard? The Statue of Liberty will be joined by a "little sister" this year! France is sending a smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty to the United States, just in time for the 4th of July.
135 years ago in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was gifted to the United States by France as a symbol of their strong political relationship and in recognition of American democracy. Now, France is sending another statue, nicknamed the "little sister." The bronze sibling statue has been in France since its completion in 2009. The "little sister" was produced as a smaller replica of Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi's original.
Officially named “Liberty Enlightening the World” by Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty symbolized the everlasting friendship between the U.S. and France that began during the American Revolution. As time passed, Lady Liberty came to represent much more than a symbol of friendship, but as a promise of freedom, democracy, and opportunity. It remains one of the most iconic monuments in the world today.
The sister statue boarded a vessel en route to the U.S. on June 19th, 2021. The statue will arrive on American soil on July 1st, 2021, just in time for the American celebrations of the Fourth of July. The statue is on 10-year loan to the United States and will be fixed across from the original from July 1st-5th. Then, it will be transported to Washington, D.C., where it will be installed at the French Ambassador's residence. The "little sister" will be celebrated in D.C. on Bastille Day, July 14th.
"The sibling statue has spent the past decade in Paris, welcoming visitors at the entrance of the Musée des Arts et Métiers, the National Museum of Arts and Crafts. It was lifted and loaded into a special plexiglass container during a small ceremony on Monday to prepare for its trip to the states" (Fischels, NPR).
The arrival of a second Statue of Liberty further celebrates the partnership between the United States and France and American democracy.
Fischels, Josie, Little Lady Liberty: France is Sending the U.S. A Second, Smaller Statue of Liberty. NPR, 10 June 2021. Accessed 25 June 2021.
