Excellencies 

Today, I join my esteemed colleagues, each of you, and millions of people around, in the world in celebrating the life and legacy of the late Archbishop, Desmond Tutu.  

I also convey my condolences to his family and friends, who continue to mourn his loss. 

Truly, few amongst us have ever left, or stand to leave, such a profound legacy on the world.  

The Archbishop’s principled and impassioned opposition to apartheid and racial injustice, and his commitment to non-violence and peace, will endure long after his passing. 

I have no doubt whatsoever that his leadership, wisdom, and compassion – the same principles and qualities that inspired a generation to stand against apartheid – will remain a source of inspiration for those who fight against injustice today and into the future. 

Dear friends, 

Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s work was rightly and broadly recognized. He was a moral giant who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his non-violent struggle against apartheid. He once remarked that, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” 

He helped steer South Africa away from the bitter legacy of systematic racial discrimination and violence – and towards the path of peace, and forgiveness.  

For Tutu, “Forgiveness meant that one is given another chance to make a new beginning”. In return for an honest accounting of past crimes, the Truth and Reconciliation Committee offered amnesty, establishing what Archbishop Tutu called the principle of restorative rather than retributive  justice.  

He was presented the Global Champion Against Hunger award by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in November 2012, and the UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for his role in building a universal culture of human rights around the world.   

He also left an imprint on the United Nations for the important work he did within this organization, including as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Criminal Court’s Trust Fund Victims in 2003, and as a member of the UN advisory panel on genocide prevention in 2006.    

His support for UN initiatives to address issues such as forced displacement, women’s empowerment, and countering discrimination against marginalized communities, including based on sexual orientation and gender identity, continues to pay dividends today.  

Dear friends, 

A truly remarkable aspect of Desmond Tutu’s personality was that, despite the ugliness and cruelty he witnessed and endured during his lifetime, he never lost hope in humanity.  

As he once said: “hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”  

He never lost faith in our ability to rise above our prejudices and grievances and usher in a more just future.  

It is his work, his integrity, and his convictions that must inspire us today. It certainly inspires me, in my Presidency of Hope.  

Despite the many challenges that our species continues to face, hope is what will help us see the light at the end of the tunnel.   

The archbishop embodied that hope during his lifetime, and we must take heed of his example.  

As a global community, we must stand up for the principles he fought for during his life: truth, justice, forgiveness, reconciliation, and non-discrimination.  

That is how we must honor him and uphold his legacy. 

May his soul rest in peace.  

I thank you.