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

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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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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Elbegdorj Tsakhia

Former President and Prime Minister of Mongolia who led his country’s transition to democracy after the fall of the Soviet Union. An international campaigner on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, climate change and democracy.

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Zeid Ra'ad 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.

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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 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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Our Programmes

We work on existential threats to humanity that require a collective response - the climate crisis, pandemics, and nuclear weapons. We also work on conflict, a threat in itself and a risk factor for other threats.

 

View our cross-cutting commitments (multilateralism, human rights, gender equality and women in leadership, and intergenerational dialogue) and find out more about what we do.

View Our Past Work

Past work

Programmes The Elders have worked on previously include...


Access to Justice

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

We championed the need for compassion, tolerance and solidarity in response to vulnerable people on the move. ​
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Universal Health Coverage

We made global and country-level interventions to support UHC in the broader context of pandemic preparedness and response, and the SDGs.

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Child Marriage

Child marriage affects millions of girls worldwide. We brought together organisations working locally, nationally and internationally in a global partnership to end this harmful practice.
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Latest News & Insight

Elders Statements
The Elders urge global co-operation to manage risks and share benefits of AI
Mary Robinson
The Elders today call on world leaders to work together urgently on the design of strong international governance, to allow all humanity to take advantage of the opportunities of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while limiting the enormous risks.
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News
Nuclear states must now act following G7 statement
Mary Robinson
22 May 2023
As the G7 leaders release their Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament, The Chair of The Elders, Mary Robinson, stresses this must now lead to meaningful dialogue and action from nuclear states.
Speeches and Discussions
Global health security relies on coordinated political leadership at the highest levels
Gro Harlem Brundtland
22 May 2023
At the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization, Gro Harlem Brundtland reiterated The Elders' priorities for ensuring pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and strengthening global health security.
Newsletters
Addressing global challenges requires multilateral action
Ricardo Lagos
11 May 2023
There is an urgent need for political will in scaling up support from multilateral institutions to address the threats facing humanity today, says Ricardo Lagos.
Publications
Annual Review 2022: Building Unity for Peace and Justice
03 May 2023
The Elders' 2022 Annual Review is now available to download. It highlights our activities from the past year, including our visit to Ukraine, engagement with climate leaders, and discussions with members of the UN Security Council on global crises.
Media Releases
Ban Ki-moon calls for an urgent change of direction in Myanmar
25 Apr 2023
Ban Ki-moon calls for an urgent change of direction in Myanmar
ဗမာဘာသာစကား
Opinion
The path to an international tribunal on aggression in Ukraine must run through the UNGA
Ban Ki-moon
20 Apr 2023
Ban Ki-moon urges leaders at the UNGA to support an international tribunal as a way to hold Russia's top leadership accountable for the crime of aggression in Ukraine, tackle impunity and defend the essence of the UN Charter.
The Elders' Strategy 2023-2027
Read The Elders' Strategy 2023-2027

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