/ -- In July 2007, Nelson Mandela took to a stage in Johannesburg on his 89th birthday to introduce the world to a new alliance of senior states people dedicated to solving thorny global problemsan extraordinary effort of cross-border collective strength. Today, the Skoll Foundation honors that alliance, The Elders, with its Global Treasure Award.
"The Elders are a shining example of the kind of cooperation and leadership that the world needs now more than ever," said Don Gips, CEO of the Skoll Foundation. "For sustained progress on the greatest challengesfrom pandemics like COVID-19 to the existential threats of climate changewe look to collectives like The Elders for coordinated action and a steadfast voice of hope in uncertain times."
"As Elders," said Mary Robinson, first woman President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, "we profoundly believe in the power of working together because, in the words of our founder Nelson Mandela, "we are human only through the humanity of others."
Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of the Elders and former Secretary General of the United Nations, was responsible for major international peacekeeping reforms and has become a leading international voice in support of the Green New Deal. "We call on global leaders and citizens alike to recognize that no one nation, no one individual, can overcome the profound problems ahead of us," he said. "Going it alone means we all lose. The Skoll Foundation's focus on collective strength could not be more prescient."
Juan Manuel Santos, Elder, and former President of Colombia, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 for his efforts to negotiate a historic peace treaty with the FARC-guerrilla forces in Colombia. "A collaborative and inclusive approach is at the heart of the Elders' mission, and the embodiment of collective strength," he said. "I commend the Skoll Foundation for recognizing the fundamental importance of this approach."
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Elder, former President of Liberia, was the first elected female head of state on the continent of Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 in recognition of her work to bring women into the peacebuilding process. "Injustice, poverty and inequality are issues that, by their very nature, can only be overcome by working together and pooling our collective strength," she said. "Solutions to these problems require marginalized groups to be heard, leaders to listen, and for all of us to recognize the shared advantages that can be born out of solidarity and common endeavor."
About The Elders
About the Skoll Foundation
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content