Christian Men and Women

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu was born on the 7th of October 1931 and is a South African cleric who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent (someone who is against) apartheid. Some people wrongly believed that white people and black people should not live together. This was known as apartheid.

In 1984, Tutu became the second South African to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism, and the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2005. Tutu was elected and ordained the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, and primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa.

Tutu also campaigns to fight, poverty and racism. Tutu has also compiled several books of his speeches and sayings.

Since his retirement, Tutu has worked as a global activist on issues such as democracy, freedom and human rights. In 2006, Tutu launched a global campaign, organised by ‘Plan’, to ensure that all children were registered at birth, as an unregistered child did not officially exist and was vulnerable to traffickers and during disasters.

The virtues that Tutu has displayed throughout his life have been Prudence, Justice, Courage (Fortitude), Faith and Hope.