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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

The Elders' climate change picnic

In advance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the Elders enlisted their grandchildren to help convey the message that the world must act now to prevent climate catastrophe in the future.

Bridging the Generation Gap on Climate

ISTANBUL — The march of climate change up the global agenda has prompted an often poignant conversation between the generations.

The Elders enlist their grandchildren's help to warn of the perils of climate change

Martti Ahtisaari, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson and Desmond Tutu invited their grandchildren to join them at their meeting in Istanbul in October 2009 to remind the world of the catastrophic risk of climate

Women: Showing the way in cooperation

Women's voices must be heard for Cyprus to become a more prosperous, secure and equitable society, writes Gro Brundtland.

من أي نقطة نبدأ؟

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.

إجراء محادثة يسمعها العالم كله

يتفكر رانان باز باجتماعه مع الحكماء ويقول "يجب على أحد ما التكلم بصوت عالٍ في جميع أنحاء العالم".

Photos from Gaza

Muhammad Yunus steps down

Muhammad Yunus, who joined the Elders in 2007, announces he is stepping down as a member of The Elders but will continue to support the group in any way possible.

Martti Ahtisaari joins The Elders

Desmond Tutu announces that Nobel Laureate and former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari will join The Elders.

The Elders' next move

Writing for the Common Ground News Service, Palestinian-American businessman Sam Bahour reflects on the Elders' visit to the Middle East and argues in favour of boycott and divestment initiatives against Israel.

Discussion: Desmond Tutu & Robert Rozett - paying the price for The Holocaust

Response to an open letter from Robert Rozett

During The Elders' trip to the Middle East, Desmond Tutu was interviewed for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Following the publication of the interview Robert Rozett - who had acted as The Elders' guide during their visit to Yad Vashem - wrote an open lett

الحفاظ على الهوية الفلسطينية

"إن بناء البنية التحتية أو توفير فرصٍ أفضلٍ للعمل لا يشكلان البديل لحقنا في العودة." يتحدث مصطفى عرابي للمدون الضيف على مدونة الحكماء ساري فر

Cypriot women can take the lead

Shortly after attending a meeting between the Elders and leading women from politics, civil society, business, journalism and academia, Nadia Karayianni reflects on the vital role of women in fostering peace in Cyprus.

Encouraging progress in Cyprus

The Elders met the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and were encouraged by their positive reports of progress at the start of the second phase of peace negotiations. At a press conference at the end of

Encouraging progress in Cyprus

Elders Statements

Cyprus peace process going well, but facing challenges

The Elders present their conclusions and recommendations after travelling to Ankara, Athens and Cyprus. During the four-day visit they found strong willingness and desire on all sides to work towards a sustainable peace in Cyprus, but also a degree of sce

Calling for a greater role for women in the Cyprus peace process

As part of their September 2009 Cyprus visit, the Elders held meetings in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia – the only place that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can easily meet - with leading women from politics, civil society, business, journalism and

Calling for a greater role for women in Cyprus peace process

Hope, change & women

Rana Zincir Celal coordinates the Cyprus Chapter of the Greek-Turkish Forum. Following a meeting between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot women and Elders' Lakhdar Brahimi and Gro Brundtland, she writes about the need for women to be more involved in the

Supporting civil society as peace talks enter crucial new phase

Gro Brundtland and Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Cyprus at a critical time, just as the second phase of negotiations on reunification of the island began. The Elders met leading women from politics, business and civil society, encouraging them to press for a

Fostering neighbourly support - The Elders in Ankara and Athens

During their September 2009 trip to Cyprus, Elders Lakhdar Brahimi and Gro Brundtland visited Ankara and Athens to better understand the views of the island’s most important neighbours.

Terrorism prevents Palestinian state

Elliott Abrams concludes his discussion with Jimmy Carter in The Washington Post by arguing that a two-state solution does not require a settlement freeze, but an end to terrorism.

A genuine effort for peace

Writing in The Washington Post, Jimmy Carter addresses the points raised by Elliott Abrams' criticism of his earlier op-ed on the Arab-Israeli conflict and suggests why the American initiative to rekindle peace efforts should be supported.

What President Jimmy Carter missed in his op-ed on the Middle East

Responding to a Washington Post op-ed by Jimmy Carter on 'The Elders' view of the Middle East', Elliott Abrams suggests in the same newspaper that the notion of deteriorating quality of life among Palestinians is belied by data.

The Elders begin regional visit to support Cyprus peace process

With negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders now entering their second phase, Lakhdar Brahimi and Gro Brundtland travel to Turkey, Greece and Cyprus to urge regional support and encouragement for the peace process in C

Sri Lanka government must not ignore Tamils in camps

Commenting in The Jakarta Post, Lakhdar Brahimi and Edward Mortimer reflect on the end to the conflict in Sri Lanka and examine the conditions which must be fulfilled before the country can move towards a sustained peace.

Supporting a solution in Cyprus

Shortly before returning to Cyprus with his fellow Elders Lakhdar Brahimi and Gro Brundtland, Desmond Tutu argues in Havadis that both sides must take advantage of the opportunity for peace and unity before it is lost.

The difficult peace

Writing in Zero Hora, Fernando Henrique Cardoso assesses the challenges to peace in the Middle East and outlines two factors that would make a solution to the conflict more likely.

The Elders' view of the Middle East

Writing in The Washington Post, Jimmy Carter recounts his visit to the Middle East with a delegation of his fellow Elders and describes the sense of concern and despair that he observed in Gaza and the West Bank.

An open letter to Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Following the publication of an interview with Desmond Tutu in Haaretz, Dr Robert Rozett - who had guided the Elders during their visit to Yad Vashem - wrote an open letter to Archbishop Tutu. Published in Haaretz, Dr Rozett expressed his disagreement wit

Elders return to Cyprus as peace process enters second phase

شرقي القدس: الإهانة وعدم شرعية الإبعاد

مقابلة الحكماء

تسرد إيمان محمد تجربتها عند لقاء الحكماء وتوضح أن أبناء غزة يريدون ببساطة أن ينعموا بالعيش في مكان هادئ سلميٍ خالٍ من انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان

السلام: "لعل هذا مجرد خيال. ولعله – لا"

تستكشف دينا كرافت التحديات التي يواجهها الشباب الفلسطيني والإسرائيلي.

وادي من الأشواك يصبح واديًا من السلام

يعبر فهمي مناصرة - مقيم في وادي فوقين في الضفة الغربية - عن آماله في أن تستمتع القرية في يومٍ من الأيام بالاستقرار والسلام والرخاء جنباً إلى ج

سمع الحكماء عن الحياة في غزة وبلعين وشرقي القدس مباشرة

"هذا ليس مقبولاً. لا يعيش أي ناس آخرين في مثل هذا الوضع." بتحدث الحكماء إلى الناس في غزة عبر الفيديو على الإنترنت، ثم يقومون بزيارة قرية بلعين

بناء السلام محليًا – قصة أمل

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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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