“The answers to the future always reside in the past.” This sentiment echoes the African philosophy of ubuntu, which translates in English to: “I am because you are.” Ubuntu is not a political or religious program, it is a social awareness and consciousness about our responsibility as human beings to each other and the world around us, an understanding that we rely on each other.

The Ubuntuworks Resource Hub provides organizations and individuals with data, stories, studies and support for a more connected and compassionate world.

Mobilized by the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, ubuntu was reimagined during a critical moment in South Africa, a time when the country was moving their society forward. He realized that by digging into their past, South Africans could find a value system to help them and others achieve restorative justice, forgiveness, healing, and more.

Watch this short video from BBC Reels to learn more about the interconnectedness principles of ubuntu.

Video by Brits Film Productions
Executive producer: Camelia Sadeghzadeh

Photo: Damian Patkowski