American Bar Association

The American Bar Association (ABA) created an ABA Magna Carta Anniversary Committee, chaired by Stephen N. Zack, Past President of the American Bar Association. Under Mr. Zack’s leadership, the ABA Magna Carta Anniversary Committee developed plans for events within the United States and the United Kingdom, leading up to a delegation of 800 U.S. lawyers participating in commemorative meetings and events in London and Runnymede from June 12-14, 2015.

The ABA Magna Carta Memorial was erected in 1957 as a lasting legacy to Magna Carta. Click here to watch a video of the 1957 opening.

Icon of Liberty Under Law Website

The American Bar Association Division for Public Education has developed “Icon of Liberty Under Law,” a multimedia website focusing on public representations of Magna Carta throughout the world. Magna Carta is present in today’s world, well beyond the 13th century and the “reeds at Runnymede,” including in original documents, public art, sculpture, and statuary located in sites around the world.

Magna Carta 800th contributed £20,000 to this project as part of the Round 1 project grants. The website is resplendent with stories of events, people, and interactive catalogues of images, text and video.

Click here to visit the website.

This video was developed to recognize the ABA’s anniversary celebration where the association erected a memorial to Magna Carta in 1957. This video received a first place honours in the prestigious 36th Telly Awards.

Anniversary achievements

– The ABA and Magna Carta 800th hosted the Princess Royal; US Attorney General, Loretta Lynch; US Ambassador Matthew Barzun; and Rt Hon Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, at an incredible ceremony at the Magna Carta Memorial on the 15th June.
-Launch of “ABA Magna Carta Year” events during the ABA 2014 Annual Meeting, including remarks by The Honorable John G. Roberts, Chief of Justice, Supreme Court of the United States.
-Refurbishing of the ABA Memorial at Runnymede.
-Joint Traveling Exhibit with the Law Library of Congress: Magna Carta: Enduring Legacy 1215-2015.
-Co-Sponsorship of Law Library of Congress’ Magna Carta Program Series.
-1st May: Magna Carta Law Day Theme in 2015.
-Development of “Icon of Liberty under Law” multimedia website featuring public representations of Magna Carta throughout the world.
-Co-sponsorship of Magna Carta commemoration events at Presidential Precinct Venues.
-Partnership with Annenberg Foundation on development of an educational film on Magna Carta. The film will trace the Association’s involvement with Magna Carta beginning with the building of the Memorial at Runnymede in 1957 up to the present day.
-Essay, Debate and Speech Contests.
-Commemorative Magna Carta Books.
–ABA Magna Carta webpage.
–ABA Magna Carta Facebook page.

For more information on the ABA’s plans and for contact details, please click here.

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Sir Robert Worcester

Chairman, Magna Carta Committee

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