The DTDT aims to be part of creating a South African nation that recognizes and celebrates its diversity, without prejudice, by positively accepting and recognizing rich linguistic, cultural and religious differences and by creating a society in which there is understanding, appreciation and collaboration.

Our Mission

Our mission is to effectively implement and facilitate diversity awareness, diversity training and diversity management so that all South Africans are able to learn from the past, celebrate the diversity of the present, and be educated and educate for the future.

Objectives

As part of its undertaking, the Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust promotes the appreciation of diversity amongst all South Africans, strives to change old perceptions within society and mediates in situations of diversity-related conflict. The Trust is also underpinned by an ethos that is closely in line with our country's Constitution, in terms of human rights.

Philosophy

The Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust epitomises the firm conviction that diversity, in all its manifestations, can be changed. What is more, The Trust increases the probability that well-managed diversity will lead to mobility, mutual understanding, appreciation and collaboration.

Although it is true that each person in our society has the individual responsibility to work towards the elimination of prejudice, impatience and hostility, we believe that there is room for an initiative like ours.

Our agenda is the increased awareness of diversity in our society and the positive acceptance and recognition of our rich linguistic, cultural and religious diversity, and we see ourselves as instrumental in both the implementation and facilitation of diversity training and management. 

Pro-activity 

The real danger of being reactive instead of proactive is borne out by the HIV/AIDS situation with which our country is confronted. If we had been proactive in this arena fifteen years ago, the current bleak picture would look very different.  

The same is true of our environment, and the damage human beings have done over centuries. Had we applied small changes to our behaviour fifteen or twenty years ago, we would not be facing the global warming crisis that plagues us today. 

The lesson to be learnt from these examples is that diversity, another crucial issue, should not be allowed to follow the same route.  

The essence of the work of the Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust is therefore to ensure that we learn from history and educate people in advance, to live, interact and accept each other as independent and free-thinking members of society. 

Three focal areas 

The Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust sees as our core business the constructive promotion and utilisation of diversity and gender awareness in South African society.  

To this end we have identified three focal areas: foundational formation, public perception and empowering education. In each of these areas we seek to address issues that often feature in diversity studies such as age, creed, gender and race.

Foundational formation 

Young people are the starting point. The most obvious sector of society to be targeted in creating appreciation and respect for diversity is our youth.  

By entering into partnerships with the Department of Education on the national level, and with provincial departments on regional levels, with regard to the supply of resource material, much can be achieved through the visual portrayal of cultural differences in South Africa.  

Public perception 

As our democracy grows, it is important to shape public perceptions of other cultures and cultural practices. Since cultural differences have historically been used to entrench divisions in our society, our efforts should fall on combating ignorance and hostility in this regard.  

The Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust intends to promote the effective use of both the printed word and visual material, to highlight the positive appreciation of diversity in our country’s public and private sectors.  

Empowering education 

To the Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust, it is of the utmost importance that South Africa’s up-and-coming generations have a clear understanding of the implications and intricacies of our cultural diversity.  

Relevant and empowering education will empower our future leaders in this regard, which is why The Trust hopes to play its part in teaching the critical importance of appreciating and celebrating diversity. 

Your involvement 

The Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust sees as its core business the promotion of diversity awareness. To become involved with The Trust, to help us to achieve its worthy aims and to give something back to a country that has given us the unique blessing of rich diversity, please contact us.