| Creating Friendships for Peace (CFP) mourns the loss and celebrates the life of Archbishop Desmond Tutu CFP was blessed and privileged to witness and benefit from the wisdom, moral power and personal warmth and charm of Archbishop Desmond Tutu during our early years in Cyprus from 2009 – 2011. He made indelible impressions on two CFP teen pairs, when he, UN Envoy Lahkdar Brahimi, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, representing The Elders, visited Cyprus to create a documentary film on Cypriot reconciliation. In addition to financial support from the The Elders, Archbishop Tutu graciously provided the following encouragement to CFP’s Class of 2012 at their graduation: “Thank you, thank you to all of you young people who have the courage to stand up for peace. We are bound together by our humanity – in Africa we call this idea Ubuntu. It means that I can be human only through the humanity of others. Sometimes you might feel that you are alone in this kind of work. Today, take a look around and realise that you are all part of something much bigger – bound together by a shared commitment to our common humanity. Remember that the sea is just drops of water that have come together. And together you can do extraordinary things. God bless you.” We are thankful that CFP’s mission embodies the message that Archbishop Tutu has shared with the world – a message of connection to others through a common humanity and that we each have the power to heal ourselves and others through forgiveness. We will long remain inspired by the achievements and example of this great man who lived a life of non-violence, reconciliation, and joy. Rest in Peace, thou good and faithful servant. There is hope for a better world because of you. |