Tribute in Honour of our Late Patron, the Most Reverend Desmond M Tutu

January 14, 2022
12:00 pm

Tribute in Honour of our Late Patron, the Most Reverend Desmond M. Tutu

Childline Gauteng mourns the passing of our beloved patron, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. While we grieve, we also celebrate his remarkable life of moral, political, personal, and spiritual courage.

Archbishop Tutu was more than a leader — he was a spiritual warrior who stood against apartheid, offering hope and comfort during South Africa’s darkest days. He chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, carrying the heavy burden of truth while guiding the nation toward healing. He boldly opposed state capture and corruption, fought for women’s rights and LGBTQ+ equality, and served as a mediator for peace across the world. Above all, he believed deeply in our shared humanity and our ability to build a society founded on love, kindness, and justice.

Our challenge as South Africans is to keep his legacy alive by living his vision of compassion and human rights for all. His teachings remind us:

The divine spark lives in each of us, reflected in our ability to co-create life and nurture humanity with love.
Justice and peace are built through African Humanism — belonging, community, and compassion for others.
Doing “God’s will” means acting with justice, decency, and healing society’s wounds, while protecting the dignity of every person.
Truth must always be sought and spoken.
Diversity — of race, gender, religion, education, sexual orientation, and status — is a gift to be celebrated, with equality and respect for all.
Transformation is possible. The good within humanity can triumph, creating a world of justice, compassion, and care.
Faith can move mountains — not by ignoring difficulties, but by facing them with forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope.

Archbishop Tutu’s words still inspire us today:
“Only when this lesson is learned will there be peace.” — Prophetic Witness in South Africa (1996, pg 44)

At Childline, we invite our partners, supporters, and all South Africans to celebrate the life of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Let us honour his legacy by working together to transform our country into a place of extraordinary possibility, rooted in our shared humanity.

Lynne Cawood
Director, Childline Gauteng

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Inspirational Quotes

"It always gives me great pleasure to be surrounded by the beautiful children of our land. Whenever I am with energetic young people such as yourselves I feel like a recharged battery, confident that our country can look forward to great things. You are the future of this country - you are the people who will lead us into the next century."

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."

"The children must, at last, play in the open veld, no longer tortured by the pangs of hunger or ravaged by the disease or threatened with the scourge of ignorance, molestation and abuse, and no longer required to engage in deeds whose gravity exceeds the demands of their tender years."

"There can be no keener revelation of society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."

"Few things make the life of a parent more rewarding and sweet as successful children."

"Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth who care for and protect our people."