About Us

The Tutu Foundation UK was launched in 2007 to continue the inspiring and transforming peace and reconciliation work of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Mrs Leah Tutu.  Our mission is to transform lives and communities in the UK by building peace, respect, understanding and connections between people of different ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds.

The underpinning values of the Tutu Foundation UK come from the Southern African concept of ubuntu.  Described by Archbishop Desmond Tutu as “one of the gifts Africa can give to the world”, ubuntu shows how we can only be fully human when we value and appreciate one another, recognising that what we have in common is far greater than the differences between us.

We believe that individuals and communities themselves are best placed to identify issues of tension and conflict and to find their own practical solutions, and that partnering with local bodies already deeply rooted in the community is the best way to achieve lasting change.  To this end, the Tutu Foundation provides a safe space for community members to engage constructively with each other, and encourages collective action to help build bridges across the divides.