SPEECH Tutu Stresses Value of Faith Cooperation `There is no future without forgiveness.’ By Roxanne Tingir Special to The Hoya
Charles Nailen/The Hoya South African Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu speaks to a capacity crowd in Gaston Hall Thursday.
South African Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu stressed the importance of interfaith cooperation rather than retribution in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, relating the situation to his nation’s triumph over apartheid in a speech Thursday in Gaston Hall.
After a moment of silence to commemorate the victims of the attacks and a c ongratulatory remark to newly inaugurated University President John J. DeGioia, Tutu expressed how honored he was to be part of Georgetown’s 2001 Oliver Tambo lecture series, as Tambo had made a “quiet but oh-so-tearing contribution and influence” to the alleviation of apartheid.
Tutu concentrated on lessons to be learned after Sept. 11, saying that there is “no future without forgiveness.”
“There are no outsiders, all are insiders . We are made for goodness, we are made for love, we are made for laughter, are made for joy, are made for transcendence,” he said.
According to Tutu, the key to security is not retributive justice, but forgiveness. Time and again reprisal has failed and thus the only solution is seeing others, even one’s worst enemies, as potentially rehabilitative.
Tutu relied on South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy as proof that such reconciliation can be successful.
Although apartheid’s legacy plagued South Africa with widespread violence, poverty and disease, in 1994 the world watched as a population of downtrodden and oppressed people held its first democratic election.
Tutu commented on the exceptional spirit of South Africans, saying “they had a wonderful resilience and sense of fun. They laughed through the tears.”
According to Tutu, South Africa’s ability to overcome the apartheid regime was due to the critically important role of leaders such as former President Nelson Mandela, whose 37 years in prison helped shape his leadership abilities, the strength of his nation’s people and the support of the international community.
The bishop also paid special tribute to the students who, through protest, helped change South Africa’s political climate. After asking the audience to imagine itself as being composed of South African citizens, resounding applause heralded the thanks of millions of South Africans.
Reminding the audience that “There is no way, ultimately, that evil will have the last word,” Tutu maintained that multilateral cooperation can be successful – he said that just as apartheid ended, so too can terrorism.
Tutu concluded his speech by calling on America to take advantage of its superpower status by carefully deciding on its policies and allies. By acting as a united front with other nations and in a reconciliatory manner, the U.S. can help provide “a place in the sun for all people – white, black, yellow, rich and poor, beautiful and not so beautiful, young and old, male and female.”
Tutu, who served as the head of the Anglican Church in South Africa until 1996 and as the Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa until 1999, was the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
The Oliver Tambo Lecture Fund was established to acknowledge Georgetown University’s commitment to justice and peace in South Africa. Tambo led the African National Congress during the years it was declared illegal by the ruling South African government. He spoke in 1987 at Georgetown on the need for South African democratic developments.
Tutu’s speech was made possible by the H.J. Heinz Company and he was introduced by President of Georgetown University John J. DeGioia, School of Foreign Service Dean Robert L. Gallucci and Professor and Director of the African Studies Program Gwendolyn ikell.
The inaugural Oliver Tambo lecture was delivered last year by President of the Republic of South Africa Thabo Mbeki.
