More than a century after the first, a second Statue of Liberty has reached the coasts across the Atlantic.
Sixteen times smaller than its big sister in New York, this replica symbolizes Franco-American friendship.
It is specially inaugurated this Wednesday July 14, the national holiday.
The Statue of Liberty sees double across the Atlantic.
A replica of the famous monument exhibited in New York, symbol of Franco-American friendship, has just arrived in Washington, at the French Embassy.
On loan from the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts, it crossed the Atlantic a few weeks ago.
It is symbolically inaugurated this Wednesday, the French National Day.
On the eve of the unveiling of our little Lady Liberty at the French residence in # WashingtonDC @ OlivierFaron and @Ph_Etienne meet the American press
➡️Franco-American
friendship techniqueTechnical challenge, thank you @CmaCgm_France
➡️Vive la # liberty # BastilleDaypic.twitter.com / iLprLCrYLy
- Le Cnam (@LeCnam) July 13, 2021
An honor for our @ArtsetMetiers !!!
Beautiful photograph of the Minister of Defense @florence_parly and the Ambassador of France @Ph_Etienne in front of "our" Statue of Liberty!
Great recognition for @LeCnam on the occasion of Bastille Day pic.twitter.com/VqySrQckUG
- Olivier Faron (@OlivierFaron) July 12, 2021
A scale model replica of the Statue of Liberty has arrived at the Residence of the French Ambassador in Washington.
It will be inaugurated tomorrow by @JY_LeDrian and @SecBlinken # AFPpic.twitter.com / kTv0FMawsh
- Sébastien Blanc (@sebastienblanc) July 13, 2021
Symbol of "the importance of freedom for our democracies"
From the height of its 2m83, the replica of the Statue of Liberty proudly sits in the gardens of the residence of France, in Washington.
It is sixteen times smaller than the original exhibited in New York and built by Auguste Bartholdi in the 1870s. But it conveys the same values.
“Like her big sister, she symbolizes the friendship between the French and American peoples and the importance of freedom for our democracies,” says Ambassador Philippe Étienne with a smile, partly on the initiative of his arrival.
>> Find the morning show of the day in replay and podcast here
An extremely controlled trip
Getting this little sister to travel was no easy feat.
The statue was carefully transported in a plexiglass crate.
"We made a specific sarcophagus with a guillotine for the statue in order to protect it. It could not move in its crate," explains Laurent Olmeta, vice-president of the CGM company in charge of its transport.
>> Find all the newspapers of the editorial staff of Europe 1 in replay and podcast here
This new Statue of Liberty will be inaugurated during a ceremony on Wednesday evening by the French and American Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
She will stay at least ten years in Washington.