'Pivotal leader': Late Archbishop Desmond Tutu had a connection to B.C., university remembers

A Canadian university is mourning the death of Desmond Tutu by remembering the archbishop's connection to the west coast.

In a post on social media, the president of the University of British Columbia said his school was saddened to learn of the 90-year-old's passing.

The death of Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was confirmed by South Africa's president Sunday in a statement expressing condolences.

Later in the day, UBC president Santa Ono posted about the death, writing that Tutu received an honorary doctorate from the Vancouver-based university in 2004.

"A pivotal leader of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, he championed the transition to a non-racial democratic society," Ono wrote on Twitter, sharing a post of the Anglican cleric.

UBC's records of honorary degree recipients date back to 1925, when those given Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, included Canadian journalist and B.C. lieutenant-governor Walter Cameron Nichol.

These degrees are given by the senate of the university to "persons who have achieved distinction in scholarship or public service," UBC says.

Since that time, UBC has given honorary doctorates to dozens of people, including Victoria-born artist Emily Carr, Viscount of Tunis and British Army officer Harold Alexander and former Canadian prime minister John Diefenbaker.

A full list is available through the school's library archives. 

In a document outlining recipients, UBC wrote in 2004, "Now more than ever, we live in a world that needs exemplary teachers and spiritual leaders. Archbishop Desmond Tutu is just such an individual.

"Through his moral example and his great personal courage, he has inspired significant political and democratic change in South African, including the end of apartheid."

In a brief outline of his life and accomplishments, the school noted Tutu was the first Black person to be appointed Dean of St. Mary's Cathedral in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the first Black general secretary of the country's Council of Churches.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985, and a decade later, was appointed by then-president Nelson Mandela to chair the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

"Through the application of reason and justice, he facilitated the healing process for the South African people after the gross human rights violations that occurred during the apartheid years," UBC wrote.

Also given honorary doctorates by UBC that year was the 14th Dalai Lama, for his "tireless efforts as an advocate of peace." The Dalai Lama can be seen below, near the right edge of the photo, listening as Tutu speaks.

UBC gave degrees, too, to: Iranian human rights activist and lawyer Shirin Ebadi; award-winning Canadian pianist Robert Silverman; English psychologist Anne Treisman; Israeli psychologist and economist Daneil Kahneman; Canadian artist and teacher Iain Baxter; special education teacher and trainer Dana Brynelsen; Canadian politician John A. Fraser; Cree author and health-care professional Madeleine Dion Stout; Canadian librarian and library-school founder Samuel Rothstein; Canadian executive Larry Bell; South African genetic biologist Sydney Brenner, and; Canadian athlete and Olympian Kathleen Heddle.

Embedded images from CTV News Vancouver's coverage in 2004.