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.
More About Ban Ki-moonGro 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.
More About Gro Harlem BrundtlandZeid Raad Al Hussein
Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; champion of international justice and multilateralism; outspoken advocate for peace and human rights; veteran Jordanian diplomat and peacekeeping expert.
More About Zeid Raad Al HusseinHina Jilani
Pioneering lawyer and pro-democracy campaigner; a leading activist in Pakistan's women's movement and international champion of human rights.
More About Hina JilaniEllen 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.
More About Ellen Johnson SirleafRicardo 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.
More About Ricardo LagosGraça Machel
Women’s and children's rights advocate; former freedom fighter and first Education Minister of Mozambique; co-founder of The Elders.
More About Graça MachelMary 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.
More About Mary RobinsonJuan Manuel Santos
Former President of Colombia; a Nobel Peace Laureate who led complex peace negotiations, ending over 50 years of intractable civil war.
More About Juan Manuel SantosErnesto 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.
More About Ernesto ZedilloMartti Ahtisaari
Former President of Finland; Nobel Peace Laureate; and expert in conflict mediation, diplomacy and post-conflict state-building.
More About Martti AhtisaariEla Bhatt
The ‘gentle revolutionary’; a pioneer in women’s empowerment and founder of the more than 1 million-strong Self-Employed Women’s Association trade union in India; Gandhian practitioner of non-violence and self-reliance.
More About Ela BhattLakhdar Brahimi
Former Algerian freedom fighter, Foreign Minister, conflict mediator and UN diplomat; an expert in peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction.
More About Lakhdar BrahimiFernando 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.
More About Fernando Henrique CardosoJimmy Carter
Former President of the United States, Nobel Peace Laureate and veteran peace negotiator; dedicated to advancing peace, democracy and health worldwide.
More About Jimmy CarterLatest News & Insight
The Elders in the world