Desmond Tutu Retiring from Public Duties

by Jordan Yerman | July 22, 2010 at 09:07 am

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Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu to Retire in October 2010

After a lifetime of activism, Desmond Mpilo Tutu, former Archbishop of Cape Town's Anglican Church, will retire from public life when he turns 79 in October. Instrumental in events ranging from the dismantling of Apartheid to South Africa's World Cup bid, Desmond Tutu will continue to work with his peace foundation. Tutu will also continue his work with the The Elders.

However, Tutu will step away from his work with the UN commission on genocide prevention, and will no longer do media interviews.

Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, and in 1986 became the first-ever black man to serve as Archbishop of Cape Town.

In 1994, Desmond Tutu was selected by Nelson Mandela to head the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was created to investigate Apartheid-era human rights violations and race-related crime.

Tutu said he would step down in October when he turns 79 so that he "could sip tea in the afternoon" with his wife, enjoy more time with his family and spend time watching sport.