You might not think it was long ago but a lot has changed in Oxford since the 1990s.

It was a decade when buses were still permitted in Cornmarket, Lady Diana and Nelson Mandela visited, and Littlewoods was busy.

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In 1997, there was great excitement when Nelson Mandela visited the city.

During the visit he was made a Freeman of Oxford.

A year earlier Oxford University gave him a Degree of Doctor of Civil Law and he also spoke there.

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Mr Mandela also gave a speech at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

As he received the freedom of Oxford, Mr Mandela said: "It is always a deeply moving experience to be awarded an honour as a representative of the South African people. This is especially so when a community, through its local authority, confers its own rights and privileges on our nation as a whole.

"When our people fought unrepresentative councils enforcing apartheid rule, we were strengthened by the knowledge that democratically elected councils across the world were mobilising in our support.

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"We are free today because the people of Oxford, and the people of countless other cities, towns and villages, considered their own freedom incomplete while we were denied ours.

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"We appreciate your support through each stage in our struggle: your response to the call for world-wide sanctions the home from home which you provided to the many exiled South Africans who came to drink from the wells of Oxford`s learning; the part that you played in the international campaign for free and fair elections."

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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF