Here come the Internatiional Elders

[SpiralHawk]

Richard Branson forms a band of 'Elders' with Mandela, Carter, Tutu and others

By Michael Wines
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - International Herald Tribune

JOHANNESBURG: Melding serious statesmanship and a
large slug of audacity, the former South African
president Nelson Mandela and a clutch of
world-famous figures plan to announce on
Wednesday a private alliance to launch diplomatic
assaults on the globe's most intractable problems.

The alliance, to be unveiled on Wednesday during
events marking Mandela's 89th birthday, is to be
called "The Elders." Among others, it includes
the retired Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu;
Jimmy Carter, the former U.S. president; the
retired United Nations secretary general Kofi
Annan, and Mary Robinson, the human-rights
activist and former president of Ireland.
...

Mandela states in remarks prepared for Wednesday
that the fact that none of The Elders holds
public office allows them to work for the common
good, not for outside interests.

"This group can speak freely and boldly, working
both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever
actions need to be taken," the remarks state.
"Together we will work to support courage where
there is fear, foster agreement where there is
conflict, and inspire hope where there is
despair."

Whether governments that become the objects of
The Elders' freelance diplomacy will agree
remains to be seen. One of the group's founders
and principal sponsors, the British tycoon Sir
Richard Branson, said that those leaders whom he
had briefed - including Prime Minister Gordon
Brown of Britain and the South African president,
Thabo Mbeki - "very much support the initiative."

"There will always be skeptics of any positive
initiatives, but these are people giving up their
time for nothing," he said of The Elders. "

(snip)

www.iht.com

[stellanoir]

1. Well on one hand. . .these bozos ignored their elders by doing the exact

opposite of what the Iraq Study Group recommended with their idiotic "surge."

On the other hand, Peter Gabriel is one of the most soulful people on this sphere. IMHO

Hopefully, it'll inspire the people, if not our questionable appointed representatives.

Thanks for posting this mister hawk.

I flap a wing in your general direction.

Swoop swoop.

peace over time.

[bananas]

2. Wow - thanks for posting this. nt