DESMUND TUTU

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA 2012

I was given the opportunity to show our Peace Signs to Archbishop Desmund Tutu and tell him the story about the ABC Charity project. We were in Cape Town planning for the shooting of the first letter A in the first human alphabet. Exciting indeed. One of our local supporters, the Amy Biehl Foundation, helped us find kids for the shoot and we happened to be in town when they had a charity event. One of the offers they auctioned out was a "Morning Tea Break with Desmund Tutu". He drinks his tea at 9.30 with his staff and possibly an invited guest every morning. It was a very important moment for him and within their organization. Well, I grabbed the chance and offered to be the photographer for the charity event and also document the morning tea break.

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It turned into yet another tea break with Desmund and our team. We turned that into a combined chat, an interview about peace, kindness and life, and a portrait photo session. His dressed in his super pink robe, a peace sign necklace and we fixed a clear blue background. I was in the seventh heaven.

Desmund Tutu is one of the coolest people I have ever met. Such a graceful, compassionate and kind man, with a wonderful sense of humor and a great and loud laughter. That day he became my hero in life.

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The black and white images are from our tea session. The pink and blue portrait image has not yet been published. It deserves to be unveiled on a special day and displayed with more honor than what a low-resolution image on a website can offer. We just have to wait...

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After listening to our presentation about the ABC Charity project, he congratulated us and nailed a superb conclusion: "ABC Charity is a very important project".

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We agreed and gave him a big hug.

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A HAPPY MOMENT: While arranging the temporary photo studio for the portrait shoot I was as usual quite busy fixing the light, an electric generator, the backdrop and everything else outside his office. Desmund invited us to drink tea at 9.30. I bowed and said, "Thank you, but I better be here fixing this". He smiled and teached me some manners: "In Africa, if someone offers you food or drink you do not say no, Come on in Filip..."

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Thank you Desmund, the moments we shared are tattooed into my mind and heart.

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