María Angustias Carrillo de Albornoz
“Mandela was amused by the literal meaning of Western family trees. In his vision, we are all arms of the same great tree. That’s Ubuntu.”
(Mandela’s legacy, Richard Stengel)
Ubuntu is “one of the best gifts that Africa has given to humanity”, said the late Desmond Tutu (1931-2021). It is an ethical regulation based on the belief that there is a universal human bond that connects us all and enables us to overcome any challenge we have to face, whether individually or collectively. It is a moral philosophy, an integrating idea of fraternity, solidarity and loyalty that was born in South Africa and that has influenced many other countries, not only African – such as Senegal or the Congo – but also throughout the world. Their objective is that the entire community is protected, that no one is left alone or isolated, since they are convinced that “if a single member of the tribe suffers an injustice, it affects everyone”.