To honour the late and great Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, the City of Cape Town announced that it will be holding an inter-faith tribute at City Hall on Wednesday, December 29.
The colourful interfaith service was attended by representatives of the family and the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. Among the faiths represented was Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Brahma Kumaris, Bahá’í, African Traditional Religion and Khoisan representatives.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis made a speech at the interfaith service where he said:
“I never met the Arch or saw him in brilliant action. But I felt the radiance of his influence and the power of his message in my own life.
“He stood – straight backed, eyes locked in withering gaze – he stood for a few simple truths that cut across faith and time and place: that injustice must be opposed, that every human has profound moral worth, that we should love our neighbour, and treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves.
“This message of love was wrapped in irrepressible purple energy that could both charm the good and whither the evil with its sheer intensity and good humour.
“We take inspiration from his life that no matter how far we have come we still have much work to do.”
Hill Lewis went on to say:
“In Cape Town we take this higher purpose deeply personally and seriously.
“It inspires us daily, and it is why we regard it as a profound honour to be able to be of service to his family and to the Church at this time, in celebration and remembrance of the greatest Capetonian.
“He loved Cape Town and I know I speak for every single Capetonian when I say the feeling was entirely mutual.
“When other cities spurned him after he won the Nobel Prize in 1984, it was Cape Town who welcomed him home and when he was enthroned as Archbishop in 1986, it was the City of Cape Town who hosted a celebration party in his honour.
“We thank him for his wonderful example, and we know – we know – that the future he worked for is still possible, it is still attainable, and that we will dedicate ourselves in hope for that brighter future, in faith to work for that future every day here, and in love for one another to deliver us to that future.”
Tutu was a globally venerated theologian, anti-apartheid campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who passed away on Sunday, December 26 in Cape Town.






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Picture: Twitter / Geordin Hill-Lewis