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Speeches and Discussions

Nature must no longer be a silent victim of war

20 November 2024

Mary Robinson highlights the environmental impact of conflicts during the Ukraine Pavilion panel at COP29

Elders Statements

Failure to respect rule of law risks collapse of global stability

30 October 2024

The Elders today express their alarm at the escalating crises facing the world and urge leaders to uphold the rule of law

Elders Statements

The Elders call for strong international leadership on AI governance after Summit of the Future

The Elders call for continued leadership from the UN and member states to drive forward inclusive global governance of AI

Speeches and Discussions

The current failure of leadership is not gender neutral

Mary Robinson delivered the Kofi Annan Peace Address at Geneva Peace Week 2024, calling for greater respect for humanitarian law and gender parity in leadership.

A Pathway Towards Sustainable Peace in Palestine and Israel

The Elders call for a new approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that can lead to a truly just and sustainable peace.

Elders Statements

The Elders call for UN-backed independent commission to probe Venezuela election

The Elders voice grave concern at the worsening political situation in Venezuela and urge the UN to investigate the 28 July election

However devastating the climate and nature crisis is, we are not helpless against it

Mary Robinson joined the G20 Interfaith Forum on Religion and Sustainable Development as a special guest speaker

Speeches and Discussions

Ending child marriage helps communities across the developing world

Commenting in The Washington Post, Mary Robinson and Desmond Tutu describe how empowering girls can be one of the most effective ways to improve the health and prosperity of societies.

Middle East Q&A #5 - the Elders answer your questions

Video: Middle East Q&A #4 - the Elders answer your questions

Gaza's blockade silences voices of women

Lakhdar Brahimi and Mary Robinson write for The Huffington Post following the Elders' recent visit to Gaza and the Middle East.

Video: Middle East Q&A #2 - the Elders answer your questions

Video: Middle East Q&A #1 - the Elders answer your questions

וידיאו: בלב העניין – ה-Elders בירושלים במהלך ביקורם במזרח התיכון

בביקורם השני במזרח התיכון באוקטובר 2010 נסעו ה-Elders למזרח ירושלים לראות מקרוב את היקף הרחבת ההתנחלויות לתוך שכונות ערביות.

ירושלים עומדת במוקד הסכסוך – ופתרונו

לאחר ביקור ה-Elders בירושלים טוענת מרי רובינסון שהמצוקה הקשה של תושבי העיר הפלסטינים מקשה על מציאת פתרון כולל לסכסוך.

Want peace and security? Empower and protect women

Mary Robinson and Bineta Diop reflect in The Huffington Post on the ten-year anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. Noting that women across the world have the potential to become effective agents of change, they

الوجه المتغير للقدس الشرقية

في طريق الحكماء إلى غزة

توضح ماري روبنسون أن العزل المستمر لقطاع غزة غير أخلاقي وغير إنساني و سيجني نتائجاً عكسيةً تماماً.

We are walking a long road to peace and freedom

Assessing the situation in Burma ahead of the country's elections, Mary Robinson argues in The Independent that the polling is likely to be deeply flawed and that the international community must work to help the Burmese people towards greater peace and p

The UN's poverty-fighting programme lacks teeth

Writing in The Guardian, Mary Robinson argues that extreme poverty robs people of their human rights and that countries behind schedule with their Millennium Development Goals will stay that way unless they're made accountable.

The women of Zimbabwe making history

Mary Robinson recently made a five-day visit to Zimbabwe with several eminent African women leaders. While there she witnessed an historic agreement by the women of all parties to work together.

A welcome fall in maternal deaths

In a letter to The New York Times, Mary Robinson argues that while new data on maternal mortality looks like encouraging news, it is hardly cause for celebration.

Mary Robinson: 'I feel a terrible sense of urgency'

In an interview with Aide Edemariam from The Guardian, Mary Robinson describes her life and work - as a child growing up in County Mayo, Ireland; as a young senator and later first female President of Ireland; as the UN High Commissioner for Human Ri

The Elders speak: Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Mary Robinson

Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Mary Robinson answer questions from The Huffington Post's Marianne Schnall.

A legacy for our children?

Writing in the South China Morning Post and the New Straits Times, Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson warn that the world can’t afford any more political procrastination on climate change.

Accounting for Gaza

Following the publication of the Goldstone Report on human rights violations committed during the Gaza conflict, Mary Robinson wrote an article for Project Syndicate, calling for a full and fair debate of the report's findings.

شرقي القدس: الإهانة وعدم شرعية الإبعاد

Robinson: Two-state solution in danger

In an interview with Rebecca Anna Stoil from The Jerusalem Post, Mary Robinson warns that a two-state solution may no longer be possible if Israel does not freeze settlement construction.

Religious and traditional practices discriminate against women and girls

The Elders call on men and boys, particularly religious and traditional leaders, to change harmful and discriminatory practices against women and girls and join the struggle to promote and protect gender equality.  

Catholicism and tradition subjugate women to 'second class' status

Mary Robinson speaks out against the religious framing of harmful traditional practices that subjugate women. She argues that Catholicism and tradition subjugate women to 'second class' status.

Perpetrators of violence dominate peace talks at the expense of women

Mary Robinson and Lakhdar Brahimi argue that women must be included in the peace-building process.

Women refuse to be victims of conflict; they are actors for change

Graça Machel and Mary Robinson state that though women are brutalised in conflict, they are not victims; they are actors for change.

Rights demand strong institutions

Reflecting on the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson argue in The Guardian that ideals must be supported by effective institutions.

Mary Robinson speaking on 'Women, Children and Conflict'

Mary Robinson participated in the Global Philanthropy Forum panel 'Women, Children and Conflict' in Redwood City, California. She described some of the stories she heard from women while on a recent trip to Eastern Chad. She also explained how women who h

Mary Robinson speaking at The Elders' founding event

Elder Mary Robinson speaks at The Elders' founding event in Johannesburg, South Africa on 18 July 2007.

Elders Statements

The best hope for sustainable peace: women

On International Women's Day, The Elders advocate women's involvement in peace-building in Kenya, arguing that much more must be done to promote women's leadership and protect women's rights worldwide.

The Every Human Has Rights campaign launches!

The Elders and partners launched the Every Human Has Rights campaign in Cape Town on 10 December 2007 to celebrate the beginning of the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The campaign aimed to encourage and empower

Elders Statements

The Elders launch the Every Human Has Rights campaign

To begin the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The Elders and partners launch a campaign for one billion people around the world to pledge their support for fundamental rights and freedoms.

Closing the justice gap for women post COVID-19: The Elders launch new policy paper

The Elders have launched a policy paper on the imperative to close the justice gap for women and strengthen the rule of law.

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Mary Robinson, Ban Ki-moon & Ernesto Zedillo enjoyed a good meeting with @antonioguterres at @UN. They discussed global security issues inc. Ukraine and Israel/Palestine, how to strengthen multilateralism amid geopolitical tensions, & plans for the upcoming Summit of the Future. pic.twitter.com/lY1HWKn8Ku
— The Elders (@TheElders) June 27, 2024

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