FRANCE TO GIFT THE US WITH A SECOND STATUE OF LIBERTY

Why have one iconic statue when you can have two? That seems to the reasoning behind France's gesture to send their smaller version of the world-famous Statue of Liberty to the United States.

Nicknamed the 'little sister', the smaller version is an exact replica of the original (and bigger) 1878 version, and has been standing in the gardens of the National Museum of Arts and Crafts in central Paris. It weighs just over 450 kilograms and is a little over three metres tall, which makes it one-sixteenth the size of its big sister.

The little sister's journey has just started, reports CNN. Following the footsteps of the original statue, it will board a ship at the port city of Le Havre on 19 June and reach New York on 1 July. In honour of the United States' Independence Day celebrations, the little sister will be erected on Ellis Island, just across the water from the big sister from 1 to 5 July.

Its final destination will be Washington DC, where it will be on display for 10 years at the French ambassador's residence.

Watch the France24 video for more on the little sister of the Statue of Liberty being loaned to the United States for 10 years.

Image credit: Untapped New York