30 Motivational Desmond Tutu Quotes on Palestine and Archbishop
Last updated on January 8th, 2024 at 11:40 am
“Desmond Tutu” by “World Economic Forum“, licensed under “CC BY-SA 2.0“
Desmond Mpilo Tutu (1931-2021) was a South African Anglican Cleric. He was born in South Africa and completed his studies in South African mission schools. He desired to be a doctor; however, because of financial issues, he dropped the idea. Instead, he became a schoolteacher. After 2 years, he decided to resign from the post of a teacher and attend St. Peter’s Theological College, Johannesburg. In 1961, he was ordained an Anglican priest. In 1962, he moved to London to complete his Master’s. He served as an associate director for the World Council of Churches between 1972 and 1975.
In 1975, Desmond Tutu was appointed as the first Black South African dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Johannesburg. In 1984, he won a Nobel Prize for Peace for his work in opposition to apartheid in South Africa. He remained active in defending human rights and fought for the freedoms of the oppressed.
In over four decades of public life, Tutu raised his voice for several issues, such as homosexuality, fashion, justice, sanctions, Church, and more. Here is Turtle Quotes’ selection of some of the best Desmond Tutu quotes to give him tribute.
Desmond Tutu Quotes Palestine
Desmond Tutu took a stand for the rights of Palestine when no one did. And it would be wrong if we didn’t talk about it. Have a look at Desmond Tutu quotes on Palestine:
“I have been to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and I have witnessed the racially segregated roads and housing that reminded me so much of the conditions we experienced in South Africa under the racist system of Apartheid.“
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“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
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“It isn’t that it’s questionable when you speak up for the right of people with different sexual orientation. People took some part of us and used it to discriminate against us. In our case, it was our ethnicity; it’s precisely the same thing for sexual orientation. People are killed because they’re gay.”
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“If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.”
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“When you go to the Holy Land and see what’s being done to the Palestinians at checkpoints, for us, it’s the kind of thing we experienced in South Africa. Whether you want to say Israel practices apartheid is immaterial. They are doing things, given their history, you think, “Do you remember what happened to you?” Then they clobber you and say, “You are anti-Semitic.””
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu Quotes
Desmond Tutu was the first black Archbishop of Cape Town elected in 1986. He also became the primate of South Africa’s Anglican Church, with about 1.6 million members. Check out Archbishop Desmond Tutu Quotes:
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
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“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
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“Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.”
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“Forgiving is not forgetting; its actually remembering–remembering and not using your right to hit back. Its a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you dont want to repeat what happened.”
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“My father always used to say, “Don’t raise your voice. Improve your argument.” Good sense does not always lie with the loudest shouters, nor can we say that a large, unruly crowd is always the best arbiter of what is right.”
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“Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.”
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“Is Zionism racism? I would say yes. It’s a policy that to me looks like it has very many parallels with racism. The effect is the same. Whether you call it that or not is in a sense irrelevant.”
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“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
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“There is no religion in fact that I know that encourages or propagates violence in that its adherents should carry out.”
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“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”
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“I can’t for the life of me imagine that God would say, ‘I will punish you because you are black; you should have been white. I will punish you because you are a woman; you should have been a man. I punish you because you are homosexual; you ought to have been heterosexual. I can’t, I can’t for the life of me believe that that is how God sees things.”
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“We can be human only together. A person is a person to other persons. We so desperately long for all of us to learn that we are meant for one another. We are meant for complementarity.”
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“We are each made for goodness, love and compassion. Our lives are transformed as much as the world is when we live with these truths.”
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Motivational Desmond Tutu Quotes
Desmond Tutu has motivated millions of Africans to take the stand and fight for their human rights. Here are motivational Desmond Tutu Quotes:
“Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.”
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“We are made for loving. If we don’t love, we will be like plants without water.”
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“Ultimately our greatest joy is when we seek to do good for others.”
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“If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.”
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“We inhabit a universe that is characterized by diversity.”
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“Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.”
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“How could you have a soccer team if all were goalkeepers? How would it be an orchestra if all were French horns?”
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“A person is a person because he recognizes others as persons.”
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Desmond Tutu is known as a human rights activist and his remarkable work for anti-apartheid. For him, the best way to express his thoughts was through writings, books, columns, speeches, and quotes. We hope his quotes have inspired you to become a successful person in him and stand for what looks right to you. Which Desmond Tutu quote out of our list is your favourite? Tell us in the comment section.
You can also look at 30 Contagious Mother Teresa Quotes on Love, Kindness & Her Own Personal Values
Curated by: Vayuna Shandilya
Nitesh Kucchal
Nitesh Kuchhal, an IIM Calcutta graduate, is more than an educator—he's a mentor. With a passion for leadership and entrepreneurship, and travel. He has explored over 20 countries. Beyond teaching, he dives into psychology and discusses social issues. Though he is not a history expert, he enjoys learning about it through books, adding a historical touch to his many interests.
