World peace icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu told Croydon it could make a new beginning for itself after last year’s riots.

The 81-year-old campaigner spoke at Fairfield Halls, as part of his charity’s Conversation for Change event last Tuesday.

His Grace also spoke on behalf of the Tutu Foundation, which aims to bring together societies to break down social tension.

The Nobel Peace Prize recipient said: "What happened in Croydon should not be what defines you. You can make a new beginning, and that new beginning is already happening.

"You are able to learn from your mistakes and be a community that gets to know people, rather than seeing them as the ‘other’".

Archbishop Tutu was joined by his daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, who joined him in answering questions from the audience.

When asked about how Croydon can overcome the damaging events of last August, the Archbishop gave hope to the town’s diverse population.

"The things that happened here were awful, but that did not turn all of you into something awful," he said.

He added: "There is a beautiful dynasty that Croydon can create - you are rainbow people, and you can create an example to the rest of the world."

Also present at the event were representatives from the Croydon Black and Minority Ethnic Forum and the JAGS Foundation, a charity dedicated to teen James Andre Godfrey Smartt-Ford, who was murdered in Streatham in 2007.

It was announced that £30,000 of funding from Croydon Council has been shared among all three charities, helping the Tutu Foundation work alongside the Croydon-based trusts to reduce youth violence.

Tracey Ford, James’ mother and JAGS Foundation founder, said: "I am elated about working with the Tutu Foundation and learning from the practices and principles that the Archbishop teaches.

"If we do not listen to young people we will continue to have violence and murder. But we can give them a voice to tell us about the opportunities they feel they do not have, as shown by the riots."

The archbishop looked on, laughed and applauded as local groups performed musical tributes to him at the event.