South Africans are invited to submit their thoughts, wishes or ideas for peace ahead of the Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture.
Supplied/Artwork by Floris van Zyl
- The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation is inviting South Africans to submit their “letters of peace” this month, to be unveiled at the 15th International Peace Lecture.
- South Africans are invited to write a letter, film a video, or create a work of art as part of the campaign, which will feature at the lecture’s Peace Wall.
- The lecture will be delivered by Dr Shashi Tharoor, acclaimed author and former under-secretary-general of the UN in Cape Town on 20 November.
What does peace mean to you? And what is your wish for the world?
The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation is inviting you to write a letter, film a video, or create a work of art as part of its Letters of Peace campaign.
In the lead-up to the annual Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture taking place on 20 November, South Africans are invited to submit their thoughts, wishes or ideas, which will be unveiled in the Peace Wall at the global lecture.
VISIT | See the Peace Letters platform
The 15th peace lecture will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre under the theme “Faith, Conflict, and Our Shared Humanity in a Fractured World”.
It will be delivered by Dr Shashi Tharoor, acclaimed author, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations, and MP in India.
“This is not a social media campaign, it’s a civic act of conscience,” says Janet Jobson, CEO of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation.
“Archbishop Tutu taught us that peace requires participation. Letters of Peace is a chance for everyone – from artists, changemakers, and content creators to students to parents – to speak from the heart and show what justice, compassion, and courage look like in their everyday lives.”
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Participants are encouraged to share their messages of peace using the hashtag #LettersOfPeace, or to submit their contributions directly via the Peace Lecture page on 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…”
It is inspired by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate’s enduring message that “peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice, love, and action”.
How to participate:
- Create your Letter Of Peace, which can be written, spoken, visual, or digital.
- Upload it via the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation website or tag with #LettersOfPeace or #PeaceInAction on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
- Watch your message become part of the global Peace Wall, unveiled at the 2025 Peace Lecture on 20 November.
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.
To join the International Peace Lecture:
- Date: Thursday, 20 November 2025
- Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)
- Time: 15:00
- Complimentary Tickets: Available now via Quicket.
“One world. Many voices. One urgent message of peace.”
