The Elders Foundation

The Elders join the call for a woman Secretary-General, as the race to appoint a new head of the United Nations kicks off next year. #MadameSG, #UnitedNations, #nextSG, #1For8Billion

🌎 This #HumanRightsDay, The Elders call on leaders to live up to their commitments to make universal human rights a reality for all. #OurRightsOurFuture

The Elders offer their warmest congratulations to Nihon Hidankyo, the remarkable organisation of the hibakusha — the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — on receiving the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. Our Chair, Juan Manuel Santos, delivers this message on behalf of the group. Nobel Peace Center The Nobel Prize International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

In our December newsletter, Graça Machel highlights the catastrophic human suffering in Gaza, urging the global community to act and ensure accountability. ✉️Read and subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/e5T73AYC

The Elders Newsletter, December 2024. ✉ Read and subscribe on LinkedIn. Our Deputy Chair, Graça Machel, reflects on a year of global challenges in an increasingly divided world.

The agreement being negotiated at the OECD - OCDE could free up $41bn a year in public finance that could be shifted to support #renewables. "This OECD agreement would put an end to subsidies for new fossil fuel projects overseas. I urge the South Korean government to join other OECD nations in agreeing this historic international deal and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels." - Mary Robinson #StopFundingFossilFuels The Government of the Republic of Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy The Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Korea

International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearings opened today to clarify what countries are legally required to do to fight #ClimateChange. A record number of countries are involved, and a strong decision could mark a turning point for climate justice. To learn more about the importance of the ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change, explore this guest vlog created for The Elders by Vishal Prasad, Campaign Director for Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change: https://lnkd.in/e3wsJv4V

The Elders are honoured to have received the first Miwon Peace Prize today in Seoul. We accept it with the vow to carry forward Miwon's vision of a new horizon of global governance where human dignity and universal values are paramount. We strive to uphold the values set by Nelson Mandela during the first public convening of The Elders, in Johannesburg in July 2007: “This group derives its strength not from political, economic or military power, but from the independence and integrity of those who are here. They do not have careers to build, elections to win, constituencies to please. They can talk to anyone they please, and are free to follow paths they deem right, even if hugely unpopular. They will support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict and inspire hope where there is despair.” Read Ban Ki-moon's acceptance speech in full: https://lnkd.in/edhxNjKu

Juan Manuel Santos welcomes Lebanon ceasefire deal and calls for Israel’s leaders to finally be held accountable for atrocity crimes. Full comment: “As Chair of The Elders, I welcome the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah as a crucial step towards sustainable peace in the region. Civilians in southern Lebanon and northern Israel should now be able to return to their homes and start rebuilding their lives. But this deal is long overdue, and Lebanese civilians have paid an unacceptably high price in the last month of sustained Israeli air raids. They should no longer be pawns in this war. There is no respite for Palestinian civilians in Gaza who are enduring unprecedented levels of suffering and devastation, as Israel commits atrocity crimes with impunity. After 13 months of war, Israel must end its assault on Gaza and Hamas must release the hostages. Yet the flow of US weapons to Israel continues unabated, even as the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Gallant, as well as Hamas leader Mohammed Deif. Only last week the US vetoed a UN Security Resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Unless world leaders finally hold Israel’s leaders to account, this will mark the irreversible demise of the international rule of law.” #israel #lebanon #gaza #palestine

As we mark the 8th anniversary of Colombia's historic peace agreement, negotiated by The Elders' Chair Juan Manuel Santos, we are reminded that even the most entrenched conflicts can find a path to resolution. "This peace agreement was a milestone not only for Colombia but for the entire world. The negotiations in Havana were innovative thanks to the significant participation of civil society and victim organisations, 60% of which were women. Additionally, it is the first agreement to classify sexual and gender-based crimes as serious offenses, with no possibility of amnesty or pardon, and requiring prioritized treatment within transitional justice mechanisms. We hope that this model will be applied in efforts to end the conflict that ravages the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo."