2000 – Launch of South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report

On May 11, 2000, the final volume of South Africa\’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report was released. Chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the TRC was established after the end of apartheid to address the nation’s violent past through restorative justice rather than retribution. Victims and perpetrators were given a platform to testify, confess, and seek healing. The release of the report marked a historic effort to reckon with institutionalized racism and human rights violations. While imperfect, the TRC was hailed globally as a model for post-conflict societies. Its findings helped shape future conversations on justice and reconciliation across the African continent and in other nations emerging from oppression. May 11 became a landmark date in the moral reckoning of a nation seeking truth, dignity, and healing.