Greece expresses condolences over the death of Desmond Tutu

The Greek Foreign Ministry issued a brief statement on the death of the Archbishop of South Africa and historical figure in the fight against apartheid Desmond Tutu.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, an eminent civil society activist and human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his role in the fight against apartheid. Our sincere condolences to his family and the people of South Africa, ”the Greek Foreign Ministry said on Twitter on Sunday.

Deeply saddened by the passing of #SouthAfrica‘s Archibishop Desmond Tutu, a prominent civic & human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his role in the fight against apartheid. Our sincere condolences to his family & the people of South Africa pic.twitter.com/C7SiXCX6uk

– Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) December 26, 2021

In South Africa, at the age of 90, the symbol of the struggle against the apartheid system, former Archbishop Desmond Tutu, has died, South African President Cyril Ramaposa said on Sunday, December 26, expressing deep sorrow on behalf of all South Africans over the incident. “The death of the retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu is another chapter of mourning in the parting of our nation with the generation of prominent South Africans who left us a liberated South Africa,” Ramaposa said.

Tutu enjoyed the reputation of South Africa’s moral voice to the end. Recently, the energetic Nobel laureate with a charming smile only occasionally appeared in public. In May, he was seen when he and his wife were vaccinated against coronavirus. Tutu waved his hand at the TV cameras in a wheelchair, and it was difficult to recognize him as the energetic man who was once famous throughout the world for his decisive struggle against the apartheid system in South Africa. Tutu was last seen in public when he celebrated his 90th birthday.

A determined fighter against apartheid

Desmond Tutu was born in the Johannesburg suburb of Klerksdorp on October 7, 1931. He studied theology in London and then worked as a teacher before being ordained a priest in the Church of England at the age of 30. In 1984, Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against apartheid. In the same year, he became the first black bishop of Johannesburg and called on the international community to boycott the South African white minority government.

Since the end of apartheid, Desmond Tutu has chaired Truth and Reconciliation Commission meetings since 1996 – public hearings on atrocities committed during the time of racial segregation in South Africa. During this time, he fought vigorously for reconciliation between blacks and whites, and coined the term “rainbow nation” to refer to his country to emphasize its racial tolerance.

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