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Dear Friend,
On behalf of my fellow Elders, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and interest in our work, and to wish you a peaceful and happy 2010. 2009 was a busy year for us and I would also like to share some of the highlights with you.
We have many exciting plans for 2010, and we very much hope you will continue to be a part of our collective efforts. God bless you. Desmond Tutu
In August 2009, five of my fellow Elders and I visited Israel and the West Bank to listen to the people affected by the conflict there and to offer our support to all those who continue working for peace. While the challenges are many, we were amazed to meet so many people, both Israelis and Palestinians, who believe peace is possible and are working hard to achieve it. |
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We shared our experiences and impressions from the visit in our Middle East blog, along with photos and videos
- and invited some of the Israelis and Palestinians we met to share their stories too. Thanks to all of you who showed your support for those working to find a solution by sending your messages of peace. We will continue to follow events in the region closely, and are exploring ways to further support efforts for a comprehensive and just settlement. |
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Since our first visit to Cyprus in 2008 we have continued to give our encouragement to all those working for reunification of the island. We visited again in September and in December 2009. We also met Greek and Turkish leaders in Athens and Ankara. Our sincere hope is that we will soon see a reunified island with Turkish and Greek Cypriots living in peace together. |
You can read my thoughts and those of my fellow Elders, as well as hear from those who are working for peace, on our Cyprus blog.
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Climate Change
The urgent need to address climate change has been the focus of worldwide attention - and rightly so - culminating in December’s Copenhagen talks.
We enlisted the help of our grandchildren to emphasise that the world must act now to prevent climate catastrophe for future generations, and underscore that urgent help is needed for the millions already suffering due to changing weather patterns. |
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Just before the Copenhagen meeting we wrote to 192 world leaders, urging them to go to the talks and deliver a fair, ambitious, binding and effective deal.
While the outcome from Copenhagen was very disappointing in terms of countries not agreeing a binding deal, we will continue to join with millions around the world in calling on governments to secure a treaty in 2010 to protect our climate.
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We were very pleased to launch our new initiative on Equality for Women and Girls in July. We have chosen to pay particular attention to the way in which tradition and distorted religious values are sometimes used as an excuse to mistreat and discriminate against women and girls across the world.
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We have called upon all leaders to promote and protect equal rights for women and girls, and urged religious and traditional leaders in particular to set an example and change all discriminatory practices within their own religions and traditions. My good friend Jimmy Carter's powerful article
‘The words of God do not justify cruelty to women’ generated an enormous response via our connect page - our sincere thanks to all of you who expressed your support and shared your own stories and experiences with us on this vital issue.
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Sri Lanka, Sudan & Zimbabwe
In November we publicly raised serious concerns about the treatment of hundreds of thousands of people who were displaced during the war in the north of Sri Lanka and who are now trying to return home. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.
We are also extremely worried about the potential for renewed fighting in Sudan in the coming year – a more coordinated international response is essential. |
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In Zimbabwe we have been supporting initiatives to address the ongoing humanitarian impact of years of misrule, and efforts to build a stable, prosperous and secure future for its people. |
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In September we were delighted to welcome Martti Ahtisaari, former President of the Republic of Finland, to the Elders. Our dear friend Muhammad Yunus announced that he would step down from the Elders due to the demands of his work. |
We were pleased to be able to launch our new website this summer, when I took part in a live webcast Q&A session. Thanks so much for all the questions you sent - I'm just sorry I didn't have time to answer them all!
Despite our considerable cumulative age we Elders are determined to keep in step with the times and have been blogging and, I’ve heard, even “tweeting”! |
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We have many more exciting plans for making the most of this wonderful medium in the coming year, and we'll make sure to keep you all informed. In the meantime do use our connect page - we would love to hear your ideas and concerns. |
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