Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu, ONE’s international patron, turns 80 today!

You may have seen some of yesterday’s celebrations from St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa. The evening was full of dancing, singing, and testimonies to a truly global hero in the fight for human rights and social justice. Our colleagues in Team South Africa were there and we look forward to hearing a report, soon.

Though retired, “The Arch” continues to raise his voice and urge people to act for our most vulnerable neighbors around the world.

These past few months Tutu has joined a chorus of advocates calling everyone to do their part to fight the famine in the Horn of Africa:

“The images of starving children are an indictment on a world of skewed priorities and resources… no matter where we come from…. We are all members of one family, God’s family. We depend on each other, we care for one another – that is what it is to be human. Our brothers and sisters in the Horn of Africa are in dire need!”

Let’s say “Amen” to the Arch’s call to action and join the movement.

As you join us to fight the famine and feed the future, add a birthday wish to “The Arch” in the comments section below.

Today, we celebrate Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 79th birthday and retirement from public life. Winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace prize, Archbishop Tutu has tirelessly led, in both word and deed, to end apartheid, achieve debt cancellation and end extreme poverty and senseless deaths from diseases like AIDS.

President Obama today called Archbishop Tutu a “moral titan.” We’ve been thankful to have the archbishop as our International Patron, not only leading the charge in our efforts, but guiding us to continually seek new partnerships and to mobilize and take action.

In our 2008 DATA Report, he wrote, “Working together, we can still be the generation that sends extreme poverty in Africa to the history books.”

According to “the Arch,” he will be celebrating his new season of retirement by watching cricket matches and sipping Rooibos tea in the afternoons with his wife -– but he’ll also continue to be on tour with U2.

Check out the Archbishop’s inspiring message from U2′s 360 Tour -– and drop a note in the comments congratulating him today!

You can check out the full list of all 16 recipients here.

-Chris Scott

Check out the live broadcast, and full video after the event has wrapped up, here.

-Chris Scott

Here’s a 6 minute highlight reel of all of the speakers.

[Panelists: Bill Gates, co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bob Geldof anti-poverty activist and ONE adviser, Dr. Francoise Ndayishimiye, Senior Gender Adviser, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, Arunma Oteh, Vice President for Corporate Services, African Development Bank, Archbishop Desmund Tutu, ONE's International Patron and Jamie Drummond, ONE's Executive Director]

And below, a video of the whole event.

The few African observers who were present immediately called for the elections to be held again, stating that those who did vote did so only out of fear and intimidation. Many people were beaten for not voting or being able to prove that they voted. The official results showed that the 84-year old president won all ten provinces with 85.5% of the vote.

Archbishop Tutu called on African leaders to refuse to recognize Mugabe as president, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice urged China, Russia and South Africa to back action against him. The US plans to toughen its sanctions against Zimbabwe and is urging the Security Council to do the same. Echoing Tsvanigirai’s earlier call for peacekeeping intervention, Tutu and Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga called on the African Union to send troops to intervene in Zimbabwe.

Despite these outcries, Mugabe was sworn in on Sunday, stating in his speech that he hoped to form a unity government.

The African Union will meet today in Sharm El Shiekh and Zimbabwe will be on the agenda. Tsvangirai is expected to attend and appeal to African leaders not to recognize the re-election. Mugabe is also scheduled to be there and he will likely come under a lot of pressure at the AU meeting, after his own peers in the SADC have rejected the election. If African leaders do not unite on this issue, with a firm stand against Mugabe and non-recognition of him as a democratically elected President, the continent will no doubt have several more governance crises to contend with.

-Edith Jibunoh, ONE policy staff

Archbishop Tutu said, “The U.S. has a wonderful opportunity to help make God’s world a compassionate place, so the vulnerable ones will know they’re not here to be taken advantage of but to be cared for. We belong together as a human family. I plead with the leaders in Congress for the sake of the world, for the sake of the future, expedite the passing of the legislation.”

Annette Tilleman-Dick said, “Freedom and prosperity come with responsibility. We have an opportunity to see this bill, which was my father’s final work, come to conclusion.”

You can listen to a recording of Desmund Tutu and Annette Tilleman-Dick speaking on today’s call on the ONE podcast.

-Taylor Royle

Lesotho’s situation snows how debt and extreme poverty create a crisis for children…Lesotho has only six pediatricians looking after its 800,000 children. One-third of Lesotho’s children are not in school. Meanwhile, Lesotho’s debt repayments equal its entire education budget.

He continues:

As the Senate now considers the Jubilee Act, it can do it’s part to help ensure that Africans and Asians are able to sue their own resources for their own development.

Read the full op-ed, “Debt cancellation a victory for the world,” on The Balitmore Sun’s site.

-Monét Cooper, Jubilee USA