South Africa: the world pays tribute to Desmond Tutu, who died at the age of 90

Desmond Tutu was a laugh, a dance and a legendary outspokenness in the service of the defense of human rights and equality between whites and blacks. “We are going to be human all together, black and white”, he declared. South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu died at the age of 90 on Sunday, December 26. His life of nearly a century of combat has been hailed by many personalities, including Queen Elizabeth II and former US President Barack Obama, who called him “mentor” and of “headlight”.

The 1984 Nobel Peace Prize also aroused the admiration of many personalities such as the Dalai Llama. It was during the worst hours of apartheid, the system of segregation in South Africa, that Desmond Tutu acquired his notoriety. He notably organized peaceful marches, argued Nelson Mandela when he was a prisoner. Desmond Tutu was also the one who greeted him at the podium, when the latter was elected president in 1994. The other fights of the man of faith were in particular the fight against homophobia and for assisted suicide. In South Africa, many pay homage to the one who will remain as a conscience of his century.