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Nontombi Tutu Will Speak at Marygrove College

 

Detroit, Michigan—October 4, 2004—The daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nontombi Naomi Tutu, and filmmaker, Patricia Smith Melton will discuss how peace movements are revitalizing communities worldwide, following a benefit screening of the movie, “Peace by Peace: Women on the Frontlines” Oct. 28, 6:30 p.m. in the Marygrove College Theatre.  The feature length documentary, narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Jessica Lange, premiered at the United Nations last October and takes viewers into the lives of women in Afghanistan, Burundi, Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the US who are working to build peace out of conflict and crisis.

On Friday morning at 10:00, Tutu and Melton will meet again and invite women throughout Detroit to join an alliance of peace circles from around the world.

“South Africans see our struggle as part of the worldwide struggle for human rights and justice,” says Tutu.  “I believe it is important that the connections between what goes on in the United States, Rwanda, Bosnia and Germany and what has gone on in South Africa be made constantly.”

“Women on the Frontlines” reveals the secret schools in Afghanistan where young girls and mothers risk their lives to get an education that is banned under the Taliban; shows the devastation of the war between the Hutsi and Tutsi tribes of Burundi and how women are trying to rebuild their country through appeals that say, “It is time

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for women to convince their husbands to do what is right.”  The film gives you a front row seat to the Argentina presidential election in which the only woman candidate ran on a platform of peace and justice; and here in the United States, Families for Peaceful Tomorrows work for peace because “we won’t let the terrorists take our souls away.”

“When women gather in circle, we will learn how Peace x Peace is connecting women’s circles around the globe, multiplying our power to change the world, preserve the earth and create peace,” said Anne Fitzgerald ‘67.

Sharon Rodgers Simone ‘67 agrees.  “Justice is the Amniotic Sea within which peace is protected, nurtured and brought to birth.”

Tickets for the benefit screening are $100 in advance and $125 at the door.  Proceeds will benefit the Master of Social Justice program at Marygrove College and Peace x Peace. Tickets are fully tax deductible.  For more information, call 313-927-1497 or go to www.marygrove.edu.  For information about the global network of peace circles, go to peacexpeace.org. 

 

BIOGRAPHY: Nontombi Naomi-Cecilia Tutu

 

Nontombi Naomi-Cecilia Tutu was born in Krugersdorp, South Africa the third child of Desmond and Nomalizo Tutu.  She grew up under apartheid and thus far has made a life’s work out of speaking about racial, gender and economic violence both in South Africa and around the globe.

 

Ms. Tutu holds advanced degrees in development economics and international development.  Among a long list of accomplishments and contributions to understanding of race and gender relations both in the U.S. and globally, she held a visiting appointment as the Seese Lecturer in Comparatives Studies at Brevard College teaching courses on modern Africa, gender and development in the Third World.  Ms. Tutu was selected as one of the first Brandeis International Fellows in Coexistence and participated in two sessions with fellows from areas of inter-ethnic conflict.  She was selected to be South African representative to Africa Network of International Conference on Safe Communities.   Currently, she is the associate director of the Office of International Relations and Programs at Tennessee State University.

 

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Quotes from “Peace x Peace: Women on the Frontlines”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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