The Tutu Foundation Uk

“My humanity is caught up and is inextricably bound up in yours. We belong in a bundle of life. We say a person is a person through other persons.” Desmond Tutu The Tutu Foundation UK was founded in 2007 by the Very Reverend Colin Slee, the late Dean of Southwark Cathedral, and Edith Slee, with the support of their close friends Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Leah Tutu. ‘My enemy is the person whose story I do not know.’ It is built on the inspiration and knowledge of South African communities who sought reconciliation rather than revenge following the overthrow of Apartheid, through the southern African concept of Ubuntu. Ubuntu encourages us to recognise our common humanity, our connectedness and inter- dependence as fellow human beings. It emphasises what we have in common rather than our differences. Desmond Tutu explains it like this: “We believe that a person is a person through another person, that my humanity is caught up, bound up, inextricably, with yours. When I dehumanize you, I inexorably dehumanize myself. " The Tutu foundation UK was set up to use and promote this idea in the UK. Particularly with young people involved in gang violence. The foundation works with regional police forces, significant national institutions, corporates, in Northern Ireland helping to support the on-going peace process as well as local community and youth groups around the country. In each case we are helping them tackle bullying, prejudice and discrimination. We are working with them to increase respect and an appreciation of each others individual humanity and so empower them as individuals and groups to achieve more, to overcome disadvantage and increase equality, efficacy and efficiency. Desmond Tutu has described the concept of Ubuntu as Southern Africa's gift to the world.