President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the 8th Annual Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture at Artscape Theatre Centre on 08 October.

Lauding Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Ramaphosa thanked him “for a lifetime spent in the service of peace, understanding and social justice”.

He described “The Arch”, as he is affectionately known, a generous in spirit, showing admiration for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate’s “strength of character and the love of humanity that he has exuded for as long as we have known him”.

Continuing the lecture Ramaphosa pointed out that no society can be at peace unless all its people have equal rights, equal opportunities and an equal quality of life.

He focused on several challenges facing South Africa including unemployment, land reform, gender-based violence, LGBTI discrimination and crime among others,

In conclusion he proposed the suggesting that in “honour of the outstanding work that Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu has contributed in raising our consciousness about peace we should develop a doctrine of peace that should guide us to give full meaning to what peace should mean”.