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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

Elders Statements

The Elders visit South Sudan in sombre mood and urge continued dialogue with Khartoum

“Dialogue is the only way to resolve differences and to build two viable states; military force is a dead-end, promising nothing but suffering and misery” – Desmond TutuIn a meeting today with President Salva Kiir, and as South Sudan prepares

End the suffering in the Sudans

"We are already witnessing an unbearable catastrophe with the fighting in Blue Nile and South Kordofan in Sudan, and the ensuing outpouring of refugees into South Sudan and Ethiopia."Writing from Addis Ababa at the start of an Elders delegation to Sudan

Celebrating five years of The Elders

Marking five years since Nelson Mandela founded The Elders, Intelligence Squared hosted an event with Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson and Desmond Tutu in conversation with Jon Snow at the Barbican in London on Monday 2 July 2012. Watch the video of the evenin

The Elders on The World Tonight

“What can The Elders do that other groups and organisations, like the UN, can't do?”As The Elders celebrate five years since Nelson Mandela founded the organisation, Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson join Robin Lustig on BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonig

Media advisory: Desmond Tutu and fellow Elders to visit South Sudan and Sudan to encourage peace efforts

Press Conference in Juba on Friday 6 JulyPress Conference in Khartoum on Tuesday 10 JulyDesmond Tutu, Martti Ahtisaari and Mary Robinson visit Ethiopia, South Sudan and Sudan to support the African Union-led peace talks and to draw attention to the grow

Elders Statements

Reflecting on Mandela’s mission and the global challenges ahead

Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson and Desmond Tutu visit London
Three Elders are in London this week to further their work on some of the biggest issues facing the world today. They will be engaging with the public, meeting parliamentarians and, in the spirit

Forging a peace plan for Syria

“It is time for all who have influence on the parties, and all who bear responsibility for international peace and security, to act positively for peace.”
Writing in the Washington Post, Kofi Annan calls on the international community to support Syri

Celebrating Mandela Day by building a better world

In celebration of Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy, Mandela Day encourages all of us to make a difference in our communities. In advance of Mandela Day, three Elders will spend time with grassroots organisations in London and speak at a public event abo

Was Rio+20 a failure of political leadership?

"If government representatives had heard the heartfelt yearning for change, perhaps they would have given their negotiators a stronger mandate: a mandate to create the future we want and which the earth needs."Writing for CNN, Mary Robinson echoes the f

A cruel and unusual record

Elders Statements

Rio+20 is not the response we need to safeguard people and the planet

“This is a ‘once in a generation’ moment when the world needs vision, commitment and above all, leadership. Sadly, the current document is a failure of leadership." Mary RobinsonThe Elders welcome provisions for global Sustainable Development Goal

Tackling poverty and inequality must be at the heart of Rio+20

"We cannot continue to live as we do now."
Writing as Global Ambassador for Oxfam International as Rio+20 begins, Desmond Tutu reflects on the achievements of the first Rio Earth Summit twenty years ago and calls for strong, unequivocal political co

Earth Agonistes

"Like no other generation before, we can choose the type of future that we will leave to the next generation. A transition to a safe and prosperous future is possible, but will require the full use of humanity’s extraordinary capacity for innovation and

Elders Statements

The success or failure of Rio+20 will be a defining moment for today’s youth

"There are 3.5 billion people under the age of 30 in the world today – half the global population. It is their future that is at stake in Rio, not ours." Fernando Henrique Cardoso
As world leaders gather in Brazil for the Rio+20 summit, both Elders and

Video Q&A: Elders+Youngers in Rio

As world leaders gather in Brazil for Rio+20, the Elders and Youngers answer your questions on sustainable development, the world we want and how we can achieve it.Watch the Q&A videos of Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Mary Robinson and Gro Harlem

Elders+Youngers: it's our future, it's our time

Four Elders and four Youngers. Seven billion people, one planet and one future.Join Elders+Youngers as they take the debate to Rio, where world leaders will come together to decide the planet we leave for future generations.

الجيش والسياسيون والدستور: لماذا من المهم للمصريين جميعا تحديد العلاقة بينهم بشكل صحيح

"الشعب المصري متحمس لمستقبل بلده – ويرفض أن يتم تجاهله بعد الآن".
يتناول مارتي أهتيساري بعض التحديات الرئيسية التي تواجه ميلاد الديمقراطية

We know the problems, we know the solutions – how do we make Rio+20 count?

"When I grow up, I can be an Elder one day"

“We have the largest generation of young persons in the history of mankind; things are changing.”Esther Agbarakwe, a young activist participating in the Elders+Youngers debate speaks about her experience getting involved in the initiative in this in

For the future of our planet, a dialogue between generations

“I share the frustration of millions, outraged at the indifference world leaders are demonstrating towards some of the toughest and most urgent challenges we face today.” Writing in the Huffington Post, Desmond Tutu voices his exasperation with our

Are girls better at saving the planet than boys?

"We think ahead. We are practical. We are inherently more likely to think inter-generationally."In a new Elders+Youngers debate, Mary Robinson argues that because women suffer disproportionately from poverty and social inequality, they are more likely t

The Elders express concern for future of Grameen Bank

In this statement, The Elders express their full support of former Elder Muhammad Yunus after the announcement of a Commission of Inquiry to review the ownership of Grameen Bank, the microfinance organisation founded by Professor Yunus in 1983.

Rio+20's opportunity will be squandered without courage and vision

"We have not yet seen the necessary courage or political will to turn good intentions into effective, collective action."In an opinion piece published in newspapers around the world, Gro Brundtland and Fernando H Cardoso outline the key steps that must

Does GDP make us happy?

"It is accepted now that high economic growth rates do not necessarily translate into positive social developments but, for lack of consensus on what we should be measuring instead, our leaders remain obsessed with it."Fernando Henrique Cardoso calls fo

Elders Statements

Jimmy Carter and Lakhdar Brahimi in Sudan to support peace efforts

“Building confidence and constructive relations between Sudan and South Sudan is urgent” – Jimmy CarterTwo members of The Elders, former US President Jimmy Carter and former Algerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi, met President Omar Al-Bashir i

“You are going to succeed where we failed”: the Elders meet the ‘Youngers’

“One of the most incredible sources of energy for me is when I am with young people – sorry oldies!” Desmond Tutu
In May 2012 four 'Youngers' – climate change activists from Nigeria, Brazil, Sweden and China – joined the Elders at their bi-annu

How to create the change we want?

“The Elders' generation got agreements signed and solutions designed. But let’s be honest here: most actions for sustainable development are cosmetic, ignorant or thwarted.”27-year old Swedish activist Sara argues for a more radical approach. Exac

Elders+Youngers: live debate in Oslo

What will a cleaner tomorrow look like? How do you empower young people? How can countries with different ideologies and cultures reach a consensus over our environment and development?Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson, and Gro Brundtland debated these questi

Elders Statements

A Rio+20 deve resgatar o futuro, avisam “Elders” e os “Youngers” aos líderes de hoje

“Vocês devem obter sucesso onde nós falhamos” - Desmond TutuThe Elders lançam um debate global jovens líderes para inspirar a mudança urgente necessária para criar um mundo mais igualitário e sustentável, antes da Rio+20.

What kind of world do we want for our great-great-grandchildren?

Is sustainable development a luxury we cannot afford?

"The great challenges we all face are very clear: poverty eating away at our social fabric; our dwindling ecosystems; the well-documented threat of climate change... And yet so many of our leaders tend to put these challenges right at the bottom of their

Elders & Youngers live debate - Join us!

Join the Elders+Youngers online for a live debate from Oslo, Norway. Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson and Gro Brundtland will be debating with two young activists, Esther and Marvin, to find fresh ideas for the future of our planet, as part of our new Elders+Y

Elders Statements

Mabel van Oranje resigns as CEO of The Elders

The Elders have reluctantly accepted the resignation of Mabel van Oranje as Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, with immediate effect.

Elders Statements

Côte d’Ivoire : Les Elders demandent une action plus résolue en faveur de la réconciliation

« Je ne soulignerai jamais assez l’importance d’un processus de réconciliation qui n’exclut personne. Voilà qui pourrait changer le climat en Côte d’Ivoire, pour le meilleur et pour toujours. » Desmond TutuUn an après leur visite en C

People, profit and the environment – can we balance them all?

"What we have today is an economy that simply hasn’t been able to guarantee that we all stay above a basic social foundation and below a safe environmental ceiling."As the 'Elders+Youngers' online discussion begins, Pedro Telles of Brazil asks: Why is

Elders Statements

الحكماء يدعون رئيسي السودان وجنوب السودان للعودة إلى طاولة المفاوضات

الحوار وحده قادر على تفادي كارثة إنسانية أخرى
حذر الحكماء من أزمة إنسانية محتملة بعد اندلاع اشتباكات حدودية مؤخرا بين السودان وجنوب السودا

We have always been impatient, but change is now urgent

“Economies are stalling. Ecosystems are under siege. Inequality – within and between countries – is soaring. I will make the point I always make: these afflictions are clearly rooted in political short-sightedness, where narrow interests triumph ove

Introducing: Esther

Introducing: Sara

Introducing: Pedro

“I dedicate my life to help build a world where everyone can be free to self-determine how they want to live their lives”Pedro, a socio-environmental activist from Brazil, is one of the four ‘Youngers’, taking part in the Elders and Youngers deb

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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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