Mandela honoured by film installation in Times Square

A film installation celebrating Nelson Mandela is taking over the electronic billboards in New York's Times Square.

The short presentation was commissioned by the Tribeca Film Institute, the arts organisation co-founded by Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro.

Inspirational quotes will play across many of Times Square's screens this month to celebrate the anti-apartheid leader's 95th birthday in July.

Mandela's grandson Ndaba said it would "remind us of our humanity".

He added that his grandfather approved of The Power of Words installation. "If he doesn't support something, he'll let you know," he told Reuters at the launch.

The 30-year-old worked with his cousin Kweku and filmmakers Nabil Elderkin, Andrew van der Westhuyzen and Gregory Stern to choose quotes from Mr Mandela's speeches.

The three-minute presentation will be shown every night just before midnight as part of a series of installations which have already featured Icelandic singer Bjork and British conceptual artist Tracy Emin.

Emin, who was featured in February giving a Valentine's Day message, said the project was "really brilliant".

Mr Mandela, who spent 27 years in jail for fighting white minority rule, was freed in 1990 and became South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994.

He stepped down after one term in 1999.

He recently suffered from health problems and spent more than a week in hospital for a recurring lung infection earlier this year.

The former president will celebrate his 95th birthday on 18 July.