Lawyers for the Archbishop Desmond Tutu IP Trust have addressed a letter to the CEO and Board of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation (DTLF) with respect to the Foundation’s involvement in the Global Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy (WMD).
The letter informed the Foundation that participating in a US government funded event advocating for democracy, at a time that the US is supplying arms in support of the genocide in Palestine and resolutely using its veto to block global consensus against the genocide at the UN, did not accord with Archbishop’s Tutu’s values.
“As you are aware, the Tutu IP Trust was established by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who expressly recorded his wish that (the Trust) be established primarily to act as guardian and custodian of the intellectual property rights and legacy associated with Archbishop Tutu, and to support The Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation NPC to achieve its objectives insofar as they relate to the Tutu IP,” the letter states.
“Although our client is aware that the Foundation does not support Israel’s war against the Palestinian people; that the Foundation is of the view that its participation in the WMD Assembly will not be perceived as expressing support for this war; and that the Foundation has taken some measures to mitigate this perception, such as its consultations with the Palestinian delegation and its intention to release a joint statement at the conclusion of the conference, our client is of the view that the Foundation’s participation, in an official capacity, at the WMD Assembly will nevertheless be perceived as support for the National Endowment for Democracy (‘NED’), and will therefore be regarded as insensitive to current global geopolitical events, and risk negative impacts to the Archbishop’s reputation, which forms part of the Tutu IP.”
The letter demanded that no Tutu-related IP be used in relation to the WMD Assembly, and the removal of the exhibition of Archbishop Tutu from the event.
