Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has received acknowledgment of for his human rights work.

He was honoured during an online Human Rights Day event hosted by the organisation Article3.org.

Special messages were streamed from friends, including the Dalai Lama and Graca Machel.

The poet Marc Bamuthi Joseph described Tutu as a "generational radical" during the event which also featured a discussion on growing authoritarianism in the world.

"Archbishop Tutu is one of the most compassionate, unwavering, and committed leaders for human rights and dignity," said Darian Swig, the founder of Article3.org, in a statement.

"He has always spoken up and taken action for those most in need of a voice and a spotlight. Archbishop Tutu's lifetime of leadership and action is particularly timely in this moment."

The first Human Rights Day occurred on 10 December1948. It marked the UN's General Assembly adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba delivered an acceptance address on Tutu's behalf.