Coming up on CNN's series 'Revealed' this week: a close-up look at Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Revealed is series that unpacks the life, personality and contributions of the world's inspirational thinkers, champions and leaders.
Regarded as an iconic symbol of peace and forgiveness in post-apartheid South Africa, Tutu was at the forefront of campaigning for economic sanctions and non-violent opposition to segregation throughout the 70's and 80's.
In 1984 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and became the first black head of the Anglican Church of South Africa.
As a man of God, ‘Revealed’ shows him leading his congregants in a Eucharist service at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town and follows him as he visits a local orphanage as well as attending an interfaith service at Tygerberg Children’s Hospital.
The show also follows Tutu during the launch of his new project: The Elders. Brought together by Peter Gabriel and Richard Branson in summer 2007, the Elders are a group of 12 senior statesmen, including Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel, all with the stature to go into conflict situations and “knock heads together”, as Branson told CNN in 2008.
Cameras follow Tutu who travels to Darfur in Sudan with Jimmy Carter to meet with government officials and aid workers.
The show considers how he handles the pressures on him and reveals more about the man that he is, finding him to be cheerful, often laughing, tirelessly energetic and hopeful about the goodness of humanity.
The episode airs on Wednesday, 21 January 2009 at 21h30 and is repeated on Saturday, 24 January 2009 at 11h30.