Document no. 3 (b)
Official Obituary Resolution
Preamble
Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu passed away on 26 December 2021 at the age of 90.
He was born on 7 October 1931 in Klerksdorp, South Africa, to Zachariah Zelilo Tutu and Allen Dorothea Mavoertsek Mathlare. He is the third of five children born to his parents. Desmond Tutu and his wife, Nomalizo Leah Shenxane, have four children. Later in his life, he was appointed Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986, it was the first time that a black person has held that position. Later, he served as the Archbishop of Cape Town as well as the President of the All Africa Conference of Churches.
In 1984, he was bestowed with the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent efforts to resolve the differences between black and white South Africans during the apartheid system. He was also awarded the John Templeton award in 2013.
He has expressed high levels of support and solidarity with the millions of oppressed people across the world particularly the Tibetan people. His activities which are carried out with passion, integrity and honesty have been a source of great hope and inspiration for the people of the world including the Tibetans. He has strongly opposed the Apartheid system, and was firm believer in equality of all humans and had become a beacon of hope for the world through his efforts.
The late Nobel laureate was personally close to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans people. In 2012, he visited Dharamshala for the first time as a guest of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He visited Dharamshala again in 2015 at the 80th birthday celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, during which the His Holiness received Arch Bishop Tutu at the Kangra Airport where they expressed their unique child-like affinity for each other. After reaching the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the two spent a week together discussing extensively on spreading happiness and peace in the world, which resulted in a book titled ‘The Book Of Joy‘, admired and read by many around the globe.
As an epitome of world peace, Arch Bishop Tutu’s demise was a great loss to the world and a source of deep sorrow for the Tibetan people. He has spent his entire lifetime for the welfare of others and for world peace. We express our deep appreciation to his noble efforts and reaffirm the importance of persevering for truth and peace to preserve his sacred legacy.
Resolution
Expressing our deep respect and admiration for his altruistic deeds, his demise was a great loss for world peace and for the Tibetan freedom struggle. Hence, on behalf of Tibetans in Tibet and exile, the Tibetan Parliament expresses its profound condolences to his family members, relatives and followers. And so be it adopted accordingly with the unanimous approval of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on 14 March 2022.
The above resolution was passed with unanimous approval by the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile at its 2nd session on 14 March 2022.
