Founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, we are independent global leaders working together for peace and human rights

Ban Ki-moon

Former UN Secretary-General and former South Korean Foreign Minister; championed the world’s vulnerable by putting Sustainable Development, climate change, and gender equality at the top of the UN agenda.

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Lakhdar Brahimi

Former Algerian freedom fighter, Foreign Minister, conflict mediator and UN diplomat; an expert in peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction.

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Gro Harlem Brundtland

First woman Prime Minister of Norway; former Director-General of WHO; a medical doctor who champions health as a human right; and put sustainable development on the international agenda.

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Zeid Raad Al Hussein

Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; champion of international justice and multilateralism; veteran Jordanian diplomat and peacekeeping expert.

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Hina Jilani

Pioneering lawyer and pro-democracy campaigner; a leading activist in Pakistan's women's movement and international champion of human rights.

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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Former President of Liberia and Africa’s first elected female head of state; Nobel Peace Laureate; a leading promoter of peace, justice and democratic rule; a voice for freedom; and advocate for health for all.

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Ricardo Lagos

Former President of Chile; tenacious fighter for democracy and human rights; implemented health reform; and reduced economic inequality while diversifying Chile’s external trade in the era of globalisation.

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Graça Machel

Women’s and children's rights advocate; former freedom fighter and first Education Minister of Mozambique; co-founder and Deputy Chair of The Elders.

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Mary Robinson

First woman President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Chair of The Elders; a passionate advocate for gender equality, women’s participation in peace-building, human dignity and climate justice.

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Juan Manuel Santos

Former President of Colombia; a Nobel Peace Laureate who led complex peace negotiations, ending over 50 years of intractable civil war.

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Ernesto Zedillo

Former President of Mexico who led profound democratic and social reforms; a renowned economist; and an advocate of multilateralism, inclusive globalisation, nuclear nonproliferation, drug policy reform and universal healthcare.

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Martti Ahtisaari

Former President of Finland; Nobel Peace Laureate and expert in international peace mediation, diplomacy and post-conflict state building.

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Ela Bhatt

The ‘gentle revolutionary’; a pioneer in women’s empowerment and grassroots development, founder of the more than 1 million-strong Self-Employed Women’s Association in India.

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Fernando Henrique Cardoso

Former President of Brazil; implemented major land reform programme, reduced poverty and significantly improved health and education; an acclaimed sociologist and global advocate for drug policy reform.

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Jimmy Carter

Former President of the United States, Nobel Peace Laureate and veteran peace negotiator; dedicated to advancing peace, democracy and health worldwide.

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Desmond Tutu

Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town and Nobel Peace Laureate; a veteran anti-apartheid activist and peace campaigner widely regarded as ‘South Africa’s moral conscience’.

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COVID-19 Hub
Reflections, updates and insights on the COVID-19 pandemic
A waiver, on a temporary basis until the virus is eliminated, would be a pragmatic and effective global solution.
Juan Manuel Santos
Skoll World Forum

Ernesto Zedillo

On pandemic leadership

Global leaders are still not working together at an appropriate scale and speed to coordinate their response to COVID-19.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Finding Humanity

Lakhdar Brahimi

On peace and pandemics

We must act with collective responsibility and solidarity as a human family to ensure each one of us is able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Graça Machel
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Our key programmes

Ethical Leadership & Multilateral Cooperation
Conflict Countries & Regions
Universal Health Coverage
Climate Change
Access to Justice
Refugees and Migration

Ethical Leadership & Multilateral Cooperation

We support international co-operation & strong multilateral institutions as the most effective ways of tackling global challenges, including nuclear disarmament.
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Conflict Countries & Regions

We endeavour to assist in efforts to secure peaceful resolution to conflicts through quiet diplomacy and a willingness to talk to all sides.
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Universal Health Coverage

We make global and country-level interventions to help political leaders take the bold steps needed to implement pro-poor UHC reforms.
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Climate Change

We want to help ensure a just transition to the low carbon economy, create political space for ambitious action, and encourage innovative new solutions.
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Access to Justice

Access to justice for all is an important human right. We will work with governments and civil society to make this right a reality.
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Refugees and Migration

We champion the need for compassion, tolerance and solidarity in response to vulnerable people on the move. ​
Find out more
Latest News & Insight More on what we do

Latest News & Insight

Speech
The UN and its regional partners have a ‘fleeting window’ to cooperate on Myanmar
Highlighting the situation in Myanmar, Ban Ki-moon calls on the UN Security Council to work with regional partners to maintain peace and security.
Opinion
China, Japan and South Korea must work together to end coal use and funding
14 Apr 2021
Ahead of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021, Ban Ki-moon calls for leadership to create a healthy, resilient and net zero-emissions future across Asia and beyond. Published in South China Morning Post.
News
The Elders call on leaders to prioritise access to justice and gender equality
15 Apr 2021
The Elders call on leaders to prioritise access to justice and gender equality and for justice systems that are refocused on the needs of women and girls.
Reports
Annual Review 2020: Finding Humanity in times of crisis
12 Apr 2021
The Elders' 2020 Annual Review is now available to download. It highlights the challenges to global health, rights and development posed by COVID-19 and how The Elders have adapted to the new realities.
Opinion
Climate vulnerable nations need more than recycled promises
31 Mar 2021
Graça Machel calls for a concerted international effort to increase climate financing and advance climate justice.
Opinion
ICC and Israel-Palestine: an investigation is a step towards justice
15 Mar 2021
Mary Robinson underscores the importance of accountability and calls on the international community to support the International Criminal Court's decision to investigate the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.
News
International actors in peace-building must be guided by humility and respect
04 Mar 2021
It is only through working together in a spirit of solidarity and mutual respect that we can build peace, recover sustainably from the pandemic and tackle the other great existential challenges facing humanity.
The Elders in the world

Video and gallery content from The Elders

Videos
Together, we can shape a better future for us all
At a time of populism and isolationism, when polarised politics and self-interest have the upper hand, The Elders offer an alternative approach.
Photos
2020: a year in review
2020 was a year like no other as COVID-19 wreaked havoc on people’s lives across the world. During this time, The Elders continued to deliver on Nelson Mandela’s mandate to “support courage where there is fear” and “inspire hope where there is despair”
Videos
Israel-Palestine: the realities of occupation
Gro Harlem Brundtland joins Nadav Weiman, a former IDF soldier and Deputy Director of Breaking the Silence, to discuss his military service, the realities of occupation and hopes for peace between Israel and Palestine.
Videos
#NuclearThreat: a call for minimisation
Ban Ki-moon, Ernesto Zedillo, Gro Harlem Brundtland and Mary Robinson explain why all nuclear powers must pursue policies of nuclear minimisation, to preserve peace for future generations.
Videos
International Women’s Day 2021: How close are we to realising gender equality?
How do we accelerate the unfinished business of the landmark Beijing Declaration on women’s rights? Mary Robinson and Amani Aruri in conversation.
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