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Home , Hina Jilani, Martti Ahtisaari

Wha t's Happening I N T H E W O R L D ?

BY LAWRENCE GABLE VOL 14, NO 5 JANUARY 2014 The Elders Continue n December the world received ’s Work build lasting peace. Their third I the sad news that Nelson goal is to eliminate extreme pover - Mandela had died. Mr. Mandela ty from the world and to promote had spent most of his life working development that will support peo - against the racist all-White govern - ple for generations to come. In ment in . He had been short, they want to end the major in prison for 27 years, but after that causes of suffering so that people he had become the first Black can live their lives with dignity and president of South Africa. His health, and free of fear and hunger. leadership inspired not only South When The Elders work, usual - Africans, but also others around ly a few of them go together. They the world. make contact with people on both Nelson Mandela’s efforts for sides of the conflict. They listen to Left to right: , peace, freedom and social justice have , Kofi Annan, everyone, and they encourage both sides not ended though. They are continuing , to talk with each other. In many cases through a group that he founded in , they give ordinary citizens the opportu - 2007. It is called “The Elders,” eleven , , nity to communicate directly with lead - former world leaders who work to and Graça Machel. ers. When their efforts lead to success, resolve conflicts and problems around the globe. they are careful to give credit to the local people. The idea for The Elders did not originate with The Elders are willing to travel around the world Mr. Mandela. Instead it came from a businessman, to help with problems. Several of them have been to Sir Richard Branson, and a musician, . In Egypt. There they met with government leaders and 1999 they were discussing how traditional cultures have with protestors who demand freedom, jobs and democ- elders who use their wisdom and experience to solve racy. They have met with leaders in North , problems. The two men felt that the world has become where millions of people are starving. In Israel they a kind of global village that also needs guidance from have met with leaders in an attempt to find a solution elders. That is when they approached Nelson Mandela to problems between Palestinians and Israelis. with their idea. Sometimes The Elders cannot help. However, since Mr. Mandela had retreated from public life in 2004. they are respected figures, their presence draws the However, he approved of the idea of having elders, so world’s attention to the problems. he invited a group of former activists and world leaders Nelson Mandela had especially strong feelings to Johannesburg, South Africa. That first gathering of about getting young people involved in solving prob - The Elders met on July 18, 2007, which was his 8 9th lems. He recognized that young people form large birthday. All of them had finished their work as public percentages of the population in the developing world, figures, but they agreed to continue working on the but he felt that they do not have enough voice in social world’s toughest problems. issues. Mr. Mandela instructed The Elders to appeal to The eleven Elders command international respect. young people wherever they go and to use their passion They have years of experience in working for human to make change. rights. The Chair of the Elders, Kofi Annan, served The Elders understand that making change as the Secretary-General of the for ten through dialogue is a slow process. They saw that years. Among the other Elders are the former presidents Mr. Mandela’s struggle for freedom and equality for and prime ministers of , , the United Black South Africans took most of his life. Where there States, , Ireland and . is injustice, war, poverty and fear, they are following The Elders have three goals. One is to encourage his example. They are speaking out against the causes leaders to think about issues as they affect all of human- of suffering, and using their influence to protect the ity, not only their countries and regions. Another is to human rights of people everywhere. Wha t's Happening I N T H E W O R L D ?

BY LAWRENCE GABLE VOL 14, NO 5 JANUARY 2014 The Elders Continue n December the South African Nelson Mandela ’s Work not only their countries. I leader Nelson Mandela died. Another is to build lasting He had spent most of his life peace. Their third goal is to working against the racist end extreme poverty. In short, all-White government there. they want to end the major After spending 27 years in causes of suffering. They prison, he became the first believe that people should live Black president of South Africa. with dignity and health, and His leadership inspired not only free of fear and hunger. South Africans, but also others Usually a few Elders around the world. go to a place together. They Nelson Mandela’s efforts contact people on both sides Left to right: Hina Jilani, for peace, freedom and social jus - Mary Robinson, Kofi Annan, of the conflict. They listen to every - tice have not ended though. They Ernesto Zedillo, one, and they encourage both sides are continuing through a group that Gro Harlem Brundtland, to talk with each other. Often they he founded in 2007. It is called Martti Ahtisaari, Jimmy Carter, help ordinary citizens to communi - Ela Bhatt and Graça Machel. “The Elders.” They are eleven for - cate directly with leaders too. When mer world leaders who work to solve problems their efforts lead to success, they give credit to the around the globe. local people. The idea for “The Elders” did not come The Elders travel around the world. from Mr. Mandela. Instead it came from a busi - Several of them have been to Egypt. There they nessman, Sir Richard Branson, and a musician, met with government leaders and with protestors Peter Gabriel. They knew that villages have elders who demand freedom, jobs and democracy. who use their wisdom and experience to solve They have met with leaders in North Korea, problems. The two men felt that the world needs where millions of people are starving. Sometimes guidance from elders too. When they approached The Elders cannot help. However, since they are Nelson Mandela with their idea, he liked it. respected figures, their presence draws the world’s Mr. Mandela had retreated from public life attention to the problems. in 2004. However, in 2007 he invited a group of Nelson Mandela had especially strong former activists and world leaders to South Africa. feelings about young people. He felt that they All of them had finished their work as public fig - do not have enough voice in social issues. ures, but they agreed to become The Elders and Mr. Mandela instructed The Elders to appeal work on the world’s toughest problems. to young people wherever they go and to use The eleven Elders command international their passion to make change. respect. For years they have worked for human The Elders understand that making change rights. The Chair of the Elders, Kofi Annan, through dialogue is a slow process. They saw served as the leader of the United Nations for ten that Mr. Mandela’s struggle for equality for Black years. Among the other Elders are the former South Africans took most of his life. Where there presidents and prime ministers of Norway, is injustice, war, poverty and fear, they are follow - Finland, the U.S., Brazil, Ireland and Mexico. ing his example. They are speaking out and using The Elders have three goals. One is to their influence to protect the human rights of encourage leaders to think about all of humanity, people everywhere. THE ELDERS OF NELSON MANDELA Background In formation

Although Nelson Mandela founded the group, he always Topics for Discussion and Writing served only as an Honorary Elder. He won the Nobel Pre-reading : Peace Prize in 1993. • Recount what you heard about Nelson Mandela when he The first Chair of the Elders in 2007 was Archbishop died in December. of South Africa. He stepped down in Comprehension: 2013, and remains an Honorary Elder. He won the Nobel • What are The Elders and what do they do? Peace Prize in 1984. Beyond the Text: At the group’s launch ceremony, they left an empty chair • Kofi Annan says that being a good global citizen begins for the human rights activist . She was “in your own community.” What does he mean? a political prisoner living under house arrest in Myanmar Give an example of people in your community who at the time, so the group named her an Honorary Elder. • In 1991 she won the . The government look after each other and reduce their suffering. released her in 2010, and in 2012 she won election to • Explain why it is an advantage that The Elders do not . As an active politician she had to give up her hold political office. title as Honorary Elder. Vocabulary (*advanced article only) Professor from Bangladesh was one of Article-specific: elder; racist; social justice; human rights; the original Elders. He is an economist who founded the poverty; dignity; protestor; the developing world*; concept of microcredit, a policy that grants small loans passion to people who are otherwise too poor to qualify for loans High-use: to inspire; former; to resolve*; conflict; from banks. He remained an Elder for two years. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. globe; t o originate; traditional*; to retreat; to command respect; to affect*; to eliminate*; The current Elders: to communicate; to appeal to; dialogue; influence • , who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the United Nations in 2001 for their work to make the Sources world “better organized and more peaceful;” MSNBC www.msnbc.com December 11, 2013 • GRO HARLEM BRUNDTLAND , who serves as the Deputy December 9, 2013 Chair of the Elders. She is a medical doctor who was Inter Press Service English News Wire September 5, 2013 the Prime Minister of Norway for ten years. She also led the World Health Organization for the U.N.; National Public Radio “Talk of the Nation” October 25, 2012 • MARY ROBINSON , a former President of Ireland and the first United Nations High Commissioner for Human Voice of America News February 9, 2012; April 25, 2011 Rights from 1997 to 2002; The Progressive October 1, 2007 • JIMMY CARTER , a former President of the U .S. and Australian Broadcasting System “The World Today” winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002; July 19, 2007 • MARTTI AHTISAARI , a former who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his efforts to Common Core Curricular Standards resolve international conflicts; Readin g— Grades 5–12 • GRAÇA MACHEL , the former Education Minister Quote accurately from text of Mozambique and widow of Nelson Mandela; Cite textual evidence • ELA BHATT , the founder of a union called the Draw inferences Self-Employed Women’s Association of India; Determine central ideas • HINA JILANI , an international Analyze structure of text from Pakistan; Interpret words and phrases • FERNANDO H. C ARDOSO , a former President of Brazil; • , a former Foreign Minister of ; • ERNESTO ZEDILLO , a former President of Mexico © 2014 Lawrence Gable www.whpubs.com Image by Jeff Moore