The Elders

Here is a photograph taken by Alexander Joe/AFP/GETTY IMAGES of "Former South African President Nelson Mandela celebrating his 89th birthday at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund in Johannesburg."

Another part of his birthday celebration was the launching of a new initiative called The Elders.

"The Elders is the brainchild of the English tycoon Sir Richard Branson – who was himself in the audience with his elderly parents. Back in 2001, he and his friend, the British musician and anti-apartheid campaigner Peter Gabriel, sought out Mr. Mandela and asked if he would try to convene a group of world leaders to take on conflicts such as that in Israel and the Palestinian territories – to use their moral influence where others with political agendas had failed.

'The structures we have to deal with these problems are often tied by political, economic and geographical constraints,' Mr. Mandela said Wednesday. 'As institutions of government grapple with the challenges they face, the efforts of a small, dedicated group of leaders working objectively and without any vested personal interest in the outcome can help to resolve what often seem like intractable problems.'” from the Globe and Mail

"Out of deep concern for the challenges currently facing all of the people of our world, Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel and Desmond Tutu have convened a group of leaders to contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackling some of the world's toughest problems." From TheElders.org

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this initiative.