Be the Light - A Call for Support

Today, on World Humanitarian Day, the world pauses to honour people and movements who step into crises — delivering dignity, hope, and protection where it’s needed most. Archbishop Desmond and Mama Leah Tutu embodied this same calling: showing that moral courage, even in the darkest moments, can shift the course of history.

The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation today announces the launch of its 2025 flagship initiative, the Be the Light, a global call to action to honour and advance the legacy of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs. Leah Tutu. With a bold target of raising $500,000, the campaign seeks to transform the values of Ubuntu, courage, compassion, justice, and truth into living forces shaping our shared future.

Founded in 2011, the Foundation exists to carry forward the Tutus’ vision of peace, justice, and human dignity by inspiring new generations of leaders. Through its programmes, the Foundation strives to nurture moral leadership, amplify courageous voices, and foster healing dialogue in a world that is deeply in need of light and hope.

“Hope is not naïve. It is necessary. It is the engine of action, and the antidote to apathy” – Niclas Kjellström-Matseke. Be the Light is more than a campaign — it is an invitation to embody the courage and compassion that Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mama Leah stood for, and to extend their legacy into the future.

Your Support Powers Transformation
The Be the Light Campaign directly fuels three pillars of the Foundation’s work:

1. Learning from Legacy — empowering children and youth to think critically, lead with principle, and act with courage.

2. Truth to Power Exhibition — preserving the Tutus’ legacy while inspiring visitors to confront injustice in their own lives and societies.

3. Courageous Conversations — building inclusive spaces for dialogue, healing, and collective action.
   From classrooms to communities, from workplaces to governments, supporters of Be the Light will help equip the next generation to stand for justice, dignity, and hope.

Why Now?
Every generation needs its torchbearers to confront the challenges of the day. Today, when division and despair loom large, the Foundation calls upon individuals, families, institutions, and partners across the globe to join hands in carrying the Tutus’ example forward. The legacy of Desmond and Leah Tutu must not be seen as a monument of the past, but as a movement of the present and future.
As Archbishop Tutu once reminded us: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

Call to Action
We invite you to Be the Light. Together, we can nurture courageous leaders, foster peace, and ensure that the moral courage of Desmond and Leah Tutu remains a living force in the world.

To contribute to the campaign, visit: https://www.every.org/tutulegacyfoundation/f/be-the-light

Media Contact:
Solange Nolan – Head of Advancement at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation
solange@tutu.org.za