About
Desmond Mpilo Tutu was born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, South Africa. After a career as a teacher, he entered the ministry and was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1961. He studied theology at King's College London. Returning to South Africa, he held several leadership positions, becoming the first Black Dean of St Mary's Cathedral in Johannesburg (1975), General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (1978), Bishop of Johannesburg (1985), and Archbishop of Cape Town (1986-1996). He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his nonviolent opposition to apartheid. After apartheid ended, he chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1995-1998), advocating restorative justice.
* 1931-10-07 — † 2021-12-26
Major works
- No Future Without Forgiveness (1999)book
- God Has a Dream (2004)book
- The Book of Joy (2016)book
Key milestones
- 1984Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent leadership in the struggle against apartheid.
- 1995Appointed chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by President Nelson Mandela.
- 2007Co-founded The Elders, a group of world leaders promoting peace and human rights.
Themes
Restorative justiceUbuntuNonviolenceReconciliationHuman rights
Sources: nobelprize.org · kcl.ac.uk · britannica.com
