Archbishop Desmond Tutu, winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize, will deliver a speech titled “No Future Without Forgiveness” during Elon University’s Spring Convocation for honors at 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 2 in the Koury Center on campus. Tutu will also receive an honorary doctorate during the convocation, which recognizes academic achievement and philanthropy.
Tutu has been recognized for his tireless work to bridge the racial divide in South Africa. He was appointed dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Johannesburg in 1975, the first black to hold that position, and in 1978 was named bishop of Lesotho. Tutu became the first black secretary general of the South African Council of Churches in 1979, gaining international attention by calling for peaceful protests and international economic sanctions to end apartheid.
Tutu became the first black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg in 1985 and was named archbishop of Cape Town in 1986. He continued to call for an end to forced segregation until apartheid collapsed in 1994, following the election of Nelson Mandela as president of South Africa. Mandela appointed Tutu to head a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate human rights violations.
In addition to the Nobel Peace Prize, Tutu has received the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Award for outstanding service to the Anglican Communion, the Martin Luther King Jr. Non-Violent Peace Prize and the Order for Meritorious Service Award from President Mandela.
Born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, South Africa, Tutu was sickly and not expected to survive infancy. He followed in his father’s footsteps, earning an education degree from the University of South Africa in 1954. He taught high school for several years before beginning his theological studies. Ordained an Anglican priest in 1960, Tutu earned a master’s degree at King’s College of London University and has taught theology in South Africa and England.
Tutu currently serves as chancellor of the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. He is the author of six collections of sermons and reflections, including a memoir of his work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission titled “No Future Without Forgiveness.”
Tickets to the convocation are available on a limited basis and are $10 or free for those with valid Elon identification. Tickets may be purchased by calling the McCrary Theatre box office at (336) 278-5610. The box office is open from 12:30-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
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