Kennedy Society of Denmark
Purpose: Keeping alive John F. and Robert F. Kennedy’s inspiration
and philosophy of life, so that their good words can be translated into good deeds.

Profiles in Courage Award, 2007

The Kennedy Society has decided to present for 2007 John F. Kennedy’s book
”Profiles in Courage” - as an award – to Desmond Mpilo Tutu.

For his courageous commitment to bring the same revolutionary beliefs and ideas from his fight in the last millenium -  for foregiveness and reconciliation to hopes and dreams to all human beings  - into our new millennium.

Speech by Svend Aage Nielsen, chairman. London, November 7, 2007

Speech by Desmond Mpilo Tutu, award-winner. London, November 7, 2007


With courage Desmond Mpilo Tutu has continued his commitment to a non-violent struggle against every kind of apartheid, for the revolution of love and the visions of peace. According to the words in the Gospel of John: ”If I be lifted up I will draw all to me” monotheism to him does not mean monopoly on God but inclusiveness for all mankind. He has said that South Africa – by ruling out apartheid – has shown to the whole world that ”a foe is a man waiting to become a friend.” And ”All without exception are God’s children” he has said in his book ”GOD HAS A DREAM,” 2004. This has been and still is his great contribution to transform South Africa into a rainbow nation of different colors and creeds.
For his strong opposition to apartheid, President Nelson Mandela appointed him head of ”The Truth and Reconciliation Commission.” In this commission he summed up his vision in the title of his book ”NO FUTURE WITHOUT FOREGIVENESS,” 1999. This is his - ”to be or not to be”- message to mankind.
He has said: ”Can you imagine if we really believed that we were family would we continue to spend such obscene amounts on budgets of death and destruction knowing as we do that only a small fraction of those budgets would ensure that God’s children our brothers and sisters would have enough food to eat, clean water to drink, would have good education and a decent home and affordable health care.
We break the fundamental law of our being that we are made for togetherness, for interdependence at our peril. We will never win the so-called war on terror as long as there are conditions that make people desperate. We can be human only together, we can prosper only together. We can be safe and sure only together.”

This is according to John F. Kennedy’s words, 1961 ”that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God” and according to the speech by Robert F. Kennedy in South Africa, 1966 that all of us will be judged ”on the effort we have contributed to building a new world society and the extent to which our ideals and goals have shaped that effort.”