A first print, signed by the author, of a book by the South African Archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu attracted the highest bid in a sale organized to mark his 90th birthday , announced its foundation on Thursday.

The price reached by this limited edition of his 2004 book

God Has a Dream

(published in French under the title 

Dieu fait un rêve

) has not been revealed, nor has the auction reached for the other items on sale.

The sale, organized on Wednesday, raised a total of 3.5 million rand (around 202,000 euros), which will be donated to the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, created to continue the work of the anti-apartheid archbishop, who will celebrate the October 7, her 90th birthday, in particular in favor of dialogue between communities.

"The book, bound in leather, is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, is signed by the archbishop and bears the number 525 of an edition limited to 1,200 copies," said the Tutu foundation in a statement.

A spiritual message that guided Bishop Tutu

In this book, Desmond Tutu delivers the spiritual message that guided him through the dark hours of his life. The work was offered for sale by South African director Anant Singh, who also donated "a rare signed copy of the 1994 limited edition of Nelson Mandela's autobiography,"

Long Walk to Freedom

(published in French under the title 

Un long chemin vers la liberté

).

"Both books have exceeded expectations at auction," said the Foundation, without further details.

A painting by South African artist Charles Foley, depicting Bishop Tutu's meeting in 2015 with the Dalai Lama, Tibetan spiritual leader, in India where the latter lives in exile, also exceeded expectations.

The artwork was painted in response to repeated refusals by the South African government to issue a visa for the latter to visit the Archbishop in South Africa.

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