Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu announce The Elders

On his 89th birthday in Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela announces the formation of The Elders, a group of independent global leaders brought together to work on peace-building and human rights.

Nelson Mandela introduces The Elders, Johannesburg, 18 July 2007

On his 89th birthday, Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders: a small dedicated group of leaders who will work objectively, free from any vested personal interest, to help address global challenges.

Nelson Mandela's speech at the launch of The Elders

In this speech delivered on the occasion of his 89th birthday, Nelson Mandela announces the formation of The Elders and expresses his hope that the group will "work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and insp