Bishop Tutu to retire from public life

[cressida]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu: "The time has now come to slown down"

Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu has announced he is to withdraw from public life.

 

He played a prominent role in South Africa's struggle against the whites-only apartheid system.

 

After his 79th birthday in October, he said he would reduce his workload to one day a week before retiring.

 

That work would be devoted to The Elders, a group appointed by former President Nelson Mandela to tackle the world's most pressing problems.

 

During the 27 years that Mr Mandela was in prison, Archbishop Tutu spoke out against apartheid - and won the Nobel peace prize in 1984 for his efforts.

 

He was chosen by Mr Mandela to chair South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission and investigate the crimes committed by all sides during the apartheid regime.

 

'Flavour of the month'

 

The former Archbishop of Cape Town, the first black cleric to hold that position, said his career highlight was introducing Mr Mandela as South African president in 1994.

 

The story so far: Tutu timeline

Continue reading the main story Born 1931

1970s: Became prominent as apartheid critic

1984: Awarded Nobel Peace Prize

1986: Appointed Archbishop of Cape Town

1995: Appointed head of Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Strong critic of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Israel's policy against Palestinians and US-led war in Iraq

Profile: Archbishop Desmond Tutu

In a nationally televised news conference from Cape Town, the Anglican cleric described how his schedule had grown more punishing in recent years.

 

"I have been very, very fortunate to have been given opportunities to contribute in a small way to develop our new, democratic, exhilarating and sometimes exasperating nation," he said. "The time has come to slow down."

 

He said he wanted to spend more time sipping tea with his wife, watching cricket, or visiting his grandchildren, although he added that he would honour his existing appointments.

 

Since his retirement as archbishop of Cape Town in 1996, as well as his work with the Elders, the cleric has launched his own peace foundation, advised world leaders and played an active role as a public speaker.

 

Archbishop Tutu spoke at several events during the recent football World Cup in South Africa, which he described as one of the most important events locally since the end of

Apartheid.

 

 

 

 

 

Such a good man who will be missed

[medusa]

He's done such a lot in his working life, he got all the way to 79 before deciding to slow down, I think he's entitled to retiring now isn't he?

 

I wish him the best of everything for a good long time to enjoy his retirement, as well as for the people around him to continue his work for peace.

[Alien]

I somehow find it very hard to think this man will slow down. Either way I doff my hat to the man.

[hockers666]

a true supporter for a terrorist if i ever saw one , but other than mandella side of things. the man is a living saint

[boyfriday]

..along with Mandela, Gandhi, JFK, Luther King and Mother Teresa, he rates as one of the greatest of our time.

[hockers666]

..along with Mandela, Gandhi, JFK, Luther King and Mother Teresa, he rates as one of the greatest of our time.

 

mandella was a terrorist , as was winnie no excuses, perhaps nelson mandella saw the light after 27 years in the nick

[JFKvsNixon]

mandella was a terrorist , as was winnie no excuses, perhaps nelson mandella saw the light after 27 years in the nick

 

When you're forcibly denied a democratic voice, how can you make yourself heard? He was forced into fighting for his freedom.

[boyfriday]

mandella was a terrorist , as was winnie no excuses, perhaps nelson mandella saw the light after 27 years in the nick

 

Tell you what fella, if a load of foreigners came over here, took over parliament, the judicial system, told you what jobs you could do, where you could live, who you could associate with, what restaurants you could eat in, where you could sit on a bus, what schools your children could go to...whoever liberated you, you would probably describe as a hero.

 

If you don't believe that's the case, all military conflicts are acts of terrorism.

 

By the way, dont you think it was rather decent of Mandella to forgive the people who took away the best part of his life, rather than go after them with a knobkerrie?

[boyfriday]

When you're forcibly denied a democratic voice, how can you make yourself heard? He was forced into fighting for his freedom.

 

In fact, the ANC's armed strategy was a bit weak, many advocated bombing the hell out of the people who were subjugating them.

[hockers666]

Tell you what fella, if a load of foreigners came over here, took over parliament, the judicial system, told you what jobs you could do, where you could live, who you could associate with, what restaurants you could eat in, where you could sit on a bus, what schools your children could go to...whoever liberated you, you would probably describe as a hero.

 

If you don't believe that's the case, all military conflicts are acts of terrorism.

 

By the way, dont you think it was rather decent of Mandella to forgive the people who took away the best part of his life, rather than go after them with a knobkerrie?

 

point taken ,so do you fight fire with fire? the world masters USA/UK tell everyone how to behave then give tutu the nobel peace prize as a token gesture of his complience having done what he was told as with mandella check out the ILLUMINATI