A Civil Society Tribute Celebrating The Life & Legacy Of Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu
Live streamed Tribute to The Archbishop Tutu
Sunday 30th January 2022 at 7pm CAT
Archbishop Tutu was an internationalist whose impact on issues related to faith, politics and social change transcended the spiritual figure to inspire people from all walks of life, in particular artists and creative minds around the world. He achieved a level of recognition that attracted many to join his pursuit to unite people despite their differences; defend human rights and social justice issues. His death was met with an outpouring of tributes that prompted a range of civil society initiatives and artists coordinated by Palestine Festival SA and Afro Arts SA to collaborate in organising a civil society tribute to this fallen giant.
Artists, creatives and cultural activists from South Africa, Brazil, Palestine, Italy, USA, Benin, Kenya, Ghana and elsewhere have come together to pay homage, expressing themselves in diverse genres, with tributes reflective of the progressive cultural tapestry. “The Arch for us,” the organisers said in a statement, “spoke truth to power in many different ways and there were no ‘no-go areas’ for him when it comes to resisting oppression and exploitation.”
The Arch lived ubuntu every day, they added, and this philosophy was aptly captured by his words: "God longs for us to know that we were created for togetherness." His quest for justice went beyond South Africa and the power of his moral clarity was undeniable. As Mandela said, the Arch’s voice “will always be the voice of the voiceless.”
Tutu was a staunch defender of the rights of Palestinians in the occupied territories, who he believed were suffering similar apartheid policies experienced by South Africans. In 2013, he told the Washington Post: “I wish I could keep quiet about the plight of the Palestinians. I can’t! The God who was there and showed that we should become free is the God described in the Scriptures as the same yesterday, today and forever. When you go to the Holy Land and see what’s being done to the Palestinians at checkpoints, for us, it’s the kind of thing we experienced in South Africa.”
Archbishop Tutu was a critical voice in the new South Africa and called out black political elite. He was critical of the ANC leadership, the endemic corruption and the failure to deal adequately with the poverty and hardship across the country. He lived by the Christian teaching of loving your neighbour as yourself — to the exclusion of absolutely no one at all. First and foremost, he was a man of God but was also a figure for whom honesty and the truth were more important than almost anything else. His passionate activism for minorities, especially for the LGBTQ+ community and for those living with HIV/AIDS, earned him accolades on the international stage, especially artists.
On Sunday 30th January 2022 at 7pm CAT | 7pm PST | 10am ET, a special tribute will be livestreamed to reach audiences far and wide. The 90 minute livestreamed event will reflect several creative genres, including music, song, dance, poetry, caricature, mural art, photography and videography, and cartoonists amongst others.
South African artists on the line-up include satirist Pieter Dirk Uys, SA’s most loved puppet Chester Missing, comedian Marc Lottering, the songstress of the global hit song Jerusalema - Nomcebo Zikode, Bokani Dyer with Gauteng Choristers, jazz musicians McCoy Mrubata and Paul Hanmer, poets Mak Manaka, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Vus’umuzi Phakathi, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers accompanied by music from Ariel and Juana from Argentina, Neo Motsatse (violin) and Teboho Motsatse (keys), percussionist Tale Makhene, Concorde Nkabinde, Solidarity Express Quartet , Kamva Jazz String Quartet and many others. Leading South African cartoonists Zapiro and Nanda Sooben are joined by Brazilian Carlos Latuff and Palestine’s Mohamed Sabaaneh.
The Palestinian line-up includes award winning Palestinian author Susan Abulhawa, Khaled Juma, soloist Nai Barghouti, Bashar Murad, from Gaza 13-year-old singer Zain Abu Daqqa and the acclaimed Palestinian American comedian Amer Zaher, who will join us live to co-present.
The event will also feature Angelique Kidjo from Benin, Kwabena Churchill from Ghana, Zimbabwean Mazuruse, Kenya’s Ndungi Githuku and Paul Kelemba, Eritrean Mikal Yosief, Italian maestro Maurizio Capone & Bungt Bangt, Pakistani novelist Kamila Shamsie, Nicki Wells from the UK, German dancer Nadja and Dignidad Rebelde with Jesus Barraza and Melanie Cervantes from the USA.
Organisations involved in the tribute event include the Palestine Festival South Africa, Afro Arts SA, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and Joburg Theatre.
For Media enquiries and Interview Requests Please contact:-
Buz Consulting: Bridget van Oerle on buz@buz.co.za or cell: 0832636991/0114770923 or
JT Communication Solutions: Dee’s Harilal media@jtcomms.co.za or call 011 788 7632
For more information:
Contact: Nadia Meer – Director, Palestine Festival South Africa: +27 822280303 or
Roshnie Moonsammy – Director: Afro Arts SA: +27 83 272 0285
