SA urged to celebrate diversity

[QuadMedic]

By Christina Taylor (www.iol.co.za)

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is challenging every South African to join him in pledging to celebrate diversity and unify South Africa.

"I am proudly South African," the Pledge of the Peaceful Silent Majority begins. "I publicly declare my opposition to any form of prejudice and discrimination."

Tutu signed the pledge on Sunday, launching the Healing Our Rainbow Nation Campaign, a joint initiative by the Association for the Physically Disabled (APD) and Breaking Barriers.

Tutu said the campaign came at the right time, given the transformed political landscape and the lingering memory of May's xenophobic violence, "just when we are feeling all broken and ugly".

"We South Africans have a big weakness," he said. "We don't celebrate the wonderful things about us."

For example, Tutu said, South Africans should be proud of the peaceful change of leadership when former president Thabo Mbeki resigned.

Campaign spokesperson Jeanette Maclean said it was important for South Africans to publicly reject recent incidents "which portray us as intolerant, racist and discriminatory to one another and the rest of the world".

Signing the pledge would give the public "an opportunity to say, 'Here's my voice and I put my voice against this'," she said.

Maclean said the campaign had asked for Tutu's support because of his role in reconciliation after apartheid, and his long history of opposing injustice.

"He addresses evil where he sees it," she said.

People who committed acts of prejudice "do not represent me", Tutu said. "They should not represent you. We must unite in trust and love and heal our Rainbow Nation."

Maclean said organisers were hoping for a large show of support.

"Our prayers would be answered if every South African signed (the pledge)," she said.

The APD and Breaking Barriers were also selling merchandise such as T-shirts and buttons to increase the visibility of the campaign.

Would-be participants could request their pledge, as well as a copy of Tutu's signed pledge, for R1 from the APD.

Names of all pledges would appear on a scroll on the APD's website at www.apd.org.za.