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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

This is President Lula’s moment to cement his status as a global climate leader

Graça Machel Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

19 November 2024

Graça Machel and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf write for Le Monde Diplomatique Brasil, urging President Lula to lead the G20 in advancing climate justice

Graça Machel warns of signs of ethnic cleansing in Gaza

Graça Machel warns of alarming signs of ethnic cleansing in Gaza amid a worsening humanitarian catastrophe

World leaders must reject the path of chaos

Juan Manuel Santos

Juan Manuel Santos reflects on his new role as Chair of The Elders, highlights discussions from the recent board meeting in London, and calls on world leaders to act responsibly amid escalating global conflicts

Juan Manuel Santos named new Chair of The Elders

Juan Manuel Santos

The former President of Colombia and Nobel Peace Laureate will become The Elders’ fourth Chair

Elders Statements

Failure to respect rule of law risks collapse of global stability

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

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

21 October 2024

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

Elders Statements

Report: The Elders in Washington DC and London

In a report for The Carter Center, Jimmy Carter provides a detailed account of the Elders visit to Washington DC and London last month. Holding public debates and private meetings, the Elders met with senior officials and experts to discuss Middle East pe

Gro Harlem Brundtland and Malala receive Catalonia Prize

“Today’s education inequalities really are tomorrow’s inequalities with regard to human rights, social justice, growth, income and employment.”Sharing the stage with Malala Yousafzai, with whom she received the 2013 Catalonia Prize on Friday, Gr

Elders bring backing for Kerry's peacemaking efforts

Last week, Middle East expert Rosemary Hollis chaired an Elders debate in London on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Writing in The Conversation, she gives a breakdown of the highlights from the event.

Glimmers of hope: Elders talk peace in Washington and London

The Elders concluded their visit to Washington DC and London encouraged and impressed by US efforts to revive the Middle East peace process. During a series of high-level meetings, media interviews and public debates, they discussed the prospects for peac

Support Kerry’s efforts to restart Middle East peace process

“When I see Obama, I will tell him: one good speech is not enough to get a Nobel Peace Prize.” Martti Ahtisaari
Following high-level meetings in Washington and London, the Elders held a public debate on the future of the two-state solution. Welcoming

Longtime peacemakers reflect on Mandela’s legacy

Carter, Brahimi and Ahtisaari welcome US efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks

The Elders also warn that sending more weapons to Syria will only deepen the crisisThe Elders have been in Washington DC and London this week to discuss the Middle East peace process, meeting with policy experts and high-level officials including US Sec

Elders' London visit to focus on Middle East peace

Can the two-state solution be saved?Elders Martti Ahtisaari, Lakhdar Brahimi and Jimmy Carter have arrived in London, where they will hold further high-level meetings on Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts following their visit to Washington DC earlier th

Elders meet Kerry in Washington DC

The Elders visited Washington DC yesterday to discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts with high-level officials, including US Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Advisor Susan Rice. At a public debate that evening, they welcomed Kerry’

Tackle tax evasion to fuel Africa's development

“Put an end to the secret, murky and exploitative deals that have robbed Africans of the gains of their natural resource wealth.”
As G20 finance ministers meet in Moscow, Kofi Annan urges their governments to seize the current opportunity to stop ill

Kofi Annan announces two new Elders: Hina Jilani and Ernesto Zedillo

“Their wisdom and expertise will be precious assets for our future work. Their careers are models of ethical leadership and unwavering commitment to democratic values.” Kofi AnnanThe Elders have appointed two new members: Hina Jilani, a renowned hum

Women take ownership of Great Lakes peace efforts

"Women's leadership matters and must be at the heart of the peace process in the DRC." Mary RobinsonAt the invitation of UN Special Envoy Mary Robinson, women from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes region meet in Burundi to discuss th

Putting the Green Line back on the map

“There is an expiration date to the two-state solution. I hope we haven’t passed it yet” – Avrum Burg, former Speaker of the KnessetAs Europe discusses its trade relations with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Israeli and Palestinian voices

دور المجتمع المدني في التحوّل الديمقراطي

"لا يمكن أبدا اجتثاث المجتمع المدني أو قمعه كليا، على الرغم من محاولات الأنظمة المستبدة"
في الوقت الذي تخطّط مصر فيه لإقرار قانون جديد لتنظي

After the MDGs: creating a holistic global development model

“We now have a golden opportunity to create a new global development framework that both addresses our challenges and fulfils our aspirations.”
Writing for the Skoll World Forum, Gro Harlem Brundtland welcomes the UN report published last month on th

Africa paying a heavy cost for tax havens

“Africa loses more money every year through tax avoidance than it receives in international development assistance.” Kofi Annan
At yesterday’s UN Security Council debate on natural resources and conflict prevention, Kofi Annan called for greater tr

Syria: papering over the cracks

“Ultimately there can be no humanitarian solution to a political problem.”
World Refugee Day 2013: with more than 1.5 million people driven out of Syria by the conflict, Jehangir Malik, UK Director of Islamic Relief, urges governments to step up the

Transforming attitudes: ending violence against women

“We know what works, as this report shows; now it is time for action.” Gro Harlem Brundtland
A UK parliamentary committee calls for ending violence against women and girls to be prioritised in international development efforts. The Elders have welcom

Fulfilling Northern Ireland’s peace agreement

“The Northern Ireland I live in falls short of what was originally envisaged and voted for back in 1998.”
A month after meeting the Elders to discuss the situation in Northern Ireland, campaigner Helen Flynn argues that a peaceful, prosperous future

Northern Ireland: beyond sectarian politics

“It is clear that the legacy of the past still plagues our society.”
After meeting the Elders last month to discuss the challenges facing young people in Northern Ireland today, 17-year old Fíachra Kelly-McElroy urges his country’s leaders to prio

Growing up in post-conflict Northern Ireland

As world leaders gather in Belfast for the G8 summit, what are the challenges facing young people in Northern Ireland today?
The Elders met with a group of young people from Northern Ireland during their visit to Dublin last month, to hear about the lega

Sustainable development in an unequal world

“Every country needs to contribute, to save both its own future and our common, global future.”Climate campaigner Marvin Nala welcomes the recent UN report placing sustainability at the centre of the post-2015 development framework, examining what t

Gro Harlem Brundtland and Mary Robinson join 'The B Team'

Two members of The Elders are joining 'The B Team', a new non-profit initiative launched today that will work to deliver a new way of doing business: one that prioritises people and planet alongside profit.

Elders Statements

Child marriage and US foreign policy

A chance to restore peace in DRC

Kofi Annan writes to African heads of state to express The Elders’ support for peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, encouraging leaders to work closely with UN Special Envoy Mary Robinson.

Post-2015 goals include peace and ending child marriage

The High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, appointed to design a framework to replace the Millennium Development Goals, released its report last week. Its recommendations include a goal on peace and security, and recognise child marriage as

5 reasons why an end to child marriage will improve maternal health

"A 10 per cent reduction in child marriage could be associated with a 70 per cent reduction in a country's maternal mortality rates."
As world leaders and civil society organisations gather in Kuala Lumpur for Women Deliver 2013, a major global conferenc

Pluralism: a key challenge of the 21st century

"If diversity is seen as a source of strength, societies can become healthier, more stable and prosperous."
In a speech at the Global Centre for Pluralism, Kofi Annan discusses the challenges of governing plural societies, promoting inclusive democr

A forum for peace

“You face many challenges, as citizens and as civil society leaders of Sudan and South Sudan, but we have witnessed the yearning for peace and stability that exists in both countries.”
Reflecting on their efforts over the past six years to promote pe

The Elders in Dublin

In Ireland for their biannual meeting, the Elders met senior politicians to push for the EU-wide labelling of Israeli settlement goods; heard from young activists in Northern Ireland about their growing political disillusionment; and appointed a new Chair

Sending a strong political signal

"Labelling Israeli settlement products would be a small step but a big political signal." Mary Robinson
Gro Harlem Brundtland and Mary Robinson talk to RTÉ Radio One's Richard Crowley about The Elders' call for Europe to play a stronger role in the Midd

The Elders 'freelance diplomacy' comes to Ireland

"Our independence is so much of what we are." Mary RobinsonDuring The Elders' visit to Ireland, Jimmy Carter and Mary Robinson talk to Mary Fitzgerald of The Irish Times about Nelson Mandela's mandate for the group, their unique approach to internationa

Kofi Annan appointed Chair of The Elders

Desmond Tutu steps down after six years Gro Harlem Brundtland becomes Deputy Chair The Elders celebrate the "compassion, ethical leadership and belief in undying hope" that Desmond Tutu has championed, and look ahead to the growth of the organisation un

Elders meet young activists from Northern Ireland

In Dublin this week for their twice-yearly meeting, the Elders are taking the opportunity to hear from young leaders about their work promoting peace, human rights and inclusion in Northern Ireland.

The Elders call on Europe to play a stronger role in the Middle East

The European Union can help revitalise the peace process, say Jimmy Carter and Mary Robinson in DublinFollowing meetings with Irish leaders, European diplomats and civil society organisations, The Elders urge the EU to help safeguard the two-state solut

End the isolation of North Korea

"Diplomatic isolation is actually helpful in the North Korean government’s efforts to keep its people ignorant about the outside world."
Korean studies specialist Andrei Lankov examines the rationale behind North Korea's provocative behaviour, arguing

Syria crisis: "We are not able to keep up"

“In Syria, the needs are escalating at a very rapid pace and outgrowing our ability to address them.”
Valerie Amos, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, describes how ongoing violence, funding shortfal

We must have the courage to defend our values

In a candid and wide-ranging interview with Martin Eiermann for The European, Martti Ahtisaari discusses Europe's role in the world, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the 'responsibility to protect', and why egalitarianism always leads to better societies

Sheikh Jarrah: solidarity in a shared city

“When the first demonstration happened, I thought: how can they be Jewish?”
In East Jerusalem, Israelis and Palestinians have joined forces to protest settlement expansion into Palestinian neighbourhoods. Six months after The Elders last visited the

The human cost of conflict: refugee crisis in South Sudan

“More than ever, Sudanese refugees need the support of the international community to meet their basic needs and enjoy safe asylum.”
Cosmas Chanda, UNHCR Representative in South Sudan, gives an update on the refugee situation in South Sudan since The

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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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