The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu taught us that peace is not passive; it’s a courageous choice to speak truth, seek justice and extend empathy. In that spirit, his Foundation invites you to add your voice, message, image or poem to a living Peace Wall.
South Africa (11 November 2025) – What if something as simple as a letter had the profound power to change how the world listens?
It’s based on this very question and thought that the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation (DLTLF) has launched Letters of Peace, an invitation for people across South Africa and beyond to put pen to paper, voice to camera, or art to canvas in a powerful act of shared humanity.
The campaign leads up to the 15th Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture, taking place on 20 November 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre under the theme “Faith, Conflict, and Our Shared Humanity in a Fractured World.”
This year’s Lecture will be delivered by Dr Shashi Tharoor, acclaimed author, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Member of Parliament in India, who will explore how faith, morality, and global leadership can build bridges across division.
The Lecture gathers thousands of thought leaders, youth, and the public to reflect on what it means to pursue peace through justice, empathy, and action. Headlining the event, award-winning composer, vocalist and trumpeter Mandisi Dyantyis will perform live, setting the emotional tone for an evening that bridges faith and humanity through music.
The Letters of Peace initiative is inspired by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s enduring message that “peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice, love, and action.”
Your Voice, Our Peace
Letters of Peace invites creators, thinkers, and changemakers to express what peace means to them, in their own way.
From handwritten letters and spoken word to visual art, video, or digital posts, every submission becomes part of a living Peace Wall, a digital mosaic that will grow in the weeks leading up to the Lecture. The Peace Wall will be revealed live at the event, reflecting a chorus of voices from across South Africa and the world.
“This is not a social media campaign, it’s a civic act of conscience,” says Janet Jobson, CEO of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation.
“Archbishop Tutu taught us that peace requires participation. Letters of Peace is a chance for everyone, from artists, changemakers, content creators, to students, to parents, to speak from the heart and show what justice, compassion, and courage look like in their everyday lives.”
Participants are encouraged to share their messages of peace using #LettersOfPeace, or to submit their contributions directly via the Foundation’s website.
Submissions can take any form, a few lines of reflection, a poem, an artwork, a recording, or even a single sentence beginning with one of the following prompts:
- “Dear World, peace to me means…”
- “If Archbishop Tutu were here today, I’d tell him…”
- “Peace begins when…”
- “My Letter of Peace is for…”
Each letter contributes to a collective call for hope, reminding the world that the pursuit of peace begins with empathy, honesty, and action.
Jobson says that as the world faces deep division and conflict, Letters for Peace reclaims the act of communication as a moral gesture, one that bridges differences and celebrates our shared humanity.
How to participate:
- Create your Letter of Peace, either written, spoken, visual, or digital.
- Upload it via the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation website or tag on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn with #LettersOfPeace #PeaceInAction on social media.
- Watch your message become part of the global Peace Wall, unveiled at the 2025 Peace Lecture on 20 November.
Attend the International Peace Lecture:
Date: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)
Time: 15h00pm
Free Tickets: Available now via Quicket.
Sources: Supplied
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