Cape Town - The 14th Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture highlighted the significance of bearing witness in a time of untold violence, threats to global peace and security and violations of human rights, while misinformation and attacks on truth-tellers such as journalists remain rife.
This year’s annual lecture took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Saturday, and part of a year-long campaign in recognition of 30 years of democracy in South Africa and 40 years since the Archbishop Desmond Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role as a unifying leader in the non-violent campaign against apartheid.
The role of Leah Tutu alongside the Archbishop was also highlighted.
Nobel Peace Prize laureates Filipino-American journalist Maria Ressa and Ukrainian human rights advocate Oleksandra Matviichuk delivered the keynote speeches.
MCing the event was journalist and broadcaster Brenda Sisane, while Sudanese journalist and Sky News Africa correspondent Yousra Elbagir led the fireside chat.
Tutu Legacy Foundation chairperson, Niclas Kjellström Matseke, said: “We see despair in Sudan, we see struggle for justice in Zimbabwe, a fight for survival and for democracy in Ukraine … Widespread anti-Semitism throughout the world, and tremendous suffering of the Palestinian people and here we must pause. The slaughter of civilians by the Netanyahu regime has reached an unbearable scale. The killing of children in Palestine is occurring at a pace more rapid than any conflict or war in modern history.”
On behalf of the foundation, Kjellström Matseke called for an immediate arms embargo against Israel and the release of hostages held by Hamas.
“And we affirm our unwavering support for the people of Palestine in their pursuit for freedom and dignity,” Kjellström Matseke said.
Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation CEO, Janet Jobson, said: “So much of what Tutu did for us as a country was to tell the world of our pain. It was to mobilise people in solidarity against violence and the injustice of apartheid, by sharing with them the stories of torment and dehumanisation.”
It was this bearing witness that spurred on the boycotts, divestment, and sanctions against South Africa, vital in seeing the end of apartheid.
“His role of bearing witness continued and became even more profound in post-apartheid South Africa as he chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Jobson added.
Ressa highlighted three lessons from the Archbishop’s life that had resonated with her, that of radical compassion, moral clarity and relentless hope.
“Because the Arch stood unwaveringly at the intersection of faith, morality and action. He taught us that peace is not the absence of conflict, it's the presence of justice and forgiveness.”
She said that today, neutrality was not an option and that silence equated to consent.
“The pursuit of truth is a peacebuilding mission because without truth, there can be no accountability and without accountability, there can be no justice.”
Cape Argus