Desmond Tutu (left) with Elizabethtown College President Ted Long and his wife, Betty Long.
On March 17, 2000, Desmond M. Tutu, recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in defeating apartheid in South Africa, visited Elizabethtown College and spoke movingly on peace and reconciliation to a capacity audience of more than 3,000 people in Thompson Gymnasium.
Then Etown President Ted Long introduced Tutu, describing how Tutu’s life of service closely mirrored the College’s values of service and peace. Tutu was a South African Anglican bishop who worked with Nelson Mandela in the 1990s to end the Apartheid in South Africa. He was appointed Chair of South Africa’s Commission of Truth and Reconciliation, investigating human rights abuses and promoting restorative justice and forgiveness.
During the lecture, Tutu discussed his experiences in this position and spoke about the concept of Ubuntu, which emphasizes humanity and connectedness.
“We form a bundle of life,” Tutu said in his address. “A person is a person to other persons. The solitary human being is a contradiction. We are created for family, for togetherness. We are created for interdependence. We are created to exist in a delicate network of togetherness.”
Tutu’s lecture was part of Etown’s 100th anniversary celebration, recognizing the values of service, peace, and human dignity that the College’s Brethren founders held dear.
“To forgive is not to be altruistic,” Tutu said. “To forgive is the best form of self-interest. To forgive is to nurture this harmony that is so crucial for my continued existence, so crucial for your continued existence.”
Throughout Elizabethtown College’s 125th anniversary year, follow along as we share 125 compelling stories about the College’s defining moments, alumni stories, and fun facts since our founding in 1899 at etown.edu.