Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has congratulated Archbishop Desmond Tutu for being awarded the UNESCO/Bilbao Human Rights Prize in France last night.
"President Jacob Zuma wishes to congratulate South Africa's Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu, one of the country's legendary human rights campaigners, on receiving the UNESCO/Bilbao human rights prize," said the Presidency.
The biennial UNESCO/Bilbao Prize was established in 2008 after an endowment from the city of Bilbao in Spain. Previous recipients include French human rights activist St,phane Hessel and Pakistani human rights campaigner Asma Jahangir, among others.
Zuma said: "His Grace the Archbishop has been a tireless and visible ambassador of our country all over the world, promoting human rights and justice. Even in his retirement he continues to be a beacon of hope, an elder statesman who is highly regarded by the South African people.
"He has never veered away from his mission of building a better society. We extend our sincere congratulations on behalf of government." - SAnews.gov.za
