[Oe List ...] Fw: Happy New Year from The Elders

[Charles or Doris Hahn]

________________________________
From: R Williams <rcwmbw at yahoo.com>
To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at wedgeblade.net>; Colleague Dialogue 
<dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Thu, January 13, 2011 10:02:39 AM
Subject: [Oe List ...] Fw: Happy New Year from The Elders


For any who may not be aware of or connected to this group... 

--- On Thu, 1/13/11, Desmond Tutu <connect at theelders.org> wrote:


>From: Desmond Tutu <connect at theelders.org>
>Subject: Happy New Year from The Elders
>To: "Randy Williams" <rcwmbw at yahoo.com>
>Date: Thursday, January 13, 2011, 8:54 AM
>
>
> 
>My dear friends, 
>On behalf of all the Elders, I would like to express our deep gratitude for your 
>support and interest in our efforts over the past year. 
>
>We are all getting a little older, but you inspire us to keep working to try to 
>make our world a more peaceful, equitable and harmonious place to live. 
>
>As you may know, I retired last year. I hope to take life more slowly: to watch 
>cricket and to sip tea with my wife. I will, however, continue my work with the 
>Elders – someone has to keep them in line!      
>
>Across the world, New Year is an ideal time for reflection, to think about the 
>year gone by and to look forward to the year ahead. As you can see, 2010 was a 
>busy year for us.  
>
>Delight at Aung San Suu Kyi’s release
>We all rejoiced when Honorary Elder Aung San Suu Kyi was released in November, 
>following 15 years under house arrest. 
>
>There can be no doubt that the efforts of people around the world calling for 
>her release had an impact. Don’t listen to the cynics – if the world had 
>remained silent she would not be free today. 
>
>But, as Daw Suu Kyi told me after her release, there is much to do. We must not 
>turn our backs.      
>
>More than 2000 political prisoners remain in Burma’s jails and the Burmese 
>people continue to be denied fundamental rights and freedoms. We will do all we 
>can to support our sister and all those working for a more prosperous and just 
>future for Burma and its people. 
>
>2010 – Africa’s year
>    How proud we were to welcome the world to Africa for the football World Cup 
>in June. 
>
>The optimism and energy of the continent was palpable, and a real highlight for 
>us was when we joined 80 top students to discuss Africa’s incredible potential. 
>
>With Africa’s future in the hands of such talented young people, I have every 
>faith that our continent will soar. 
>
>A special moment was to be reunited with Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, ahead 
>of the first ever international Mandela Day, a global call to action to 
>recognise that we all can make an impact on the world around us.    
>
>The urgency of peace in the Middle East
>We Elders are deeply worried about the lack of progress towards peace in the 
>Middle East. As global citizens, we must all push our leaders to help bring 
>peace to this volatile region. 
>
>In October my fellow Elders Mary Robinson, Lakhdar Brahimi, Ela Bhatt and Jimmy 
>Carter visited Egypt, Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Syria and the West Bank, to hear 
>directly from those affected by the conflict.      
>
>At the end of the year The Elders issued a renewed call for peace based on 
>international law and respect for human rights. 
>
>Visit our blog to read stories from extraordinary Israelis and Palestinians who 
>live with this conflict every day and are trying their best to end it. The 
>Elders will continue to do what we can to support efforts to reach a two-state 
>solution and a just and secure peace for all. 
>
>Ending child marriage
>        In 2010 we announced that we will build a global alliance to help end 
>child marriage. 
>
>If we don’t act now, one in three girls in the developing world, or 100 million 
>girls in the next decade, will be married before they reach 18. 
>
>This puts the health of young girls at risk in pregnancy and childbirth, and 
>denies them their education, perpetuating poverty from generation to generation. 
>
>By bringing together grassroots and international activists, as well as 
>community and religious leaders, we hope that our alliance can create a 
>groundswell of support for a world without child marriage. 
>
>Sri Lanka, Sudan & Zimbabwe
>As I write, the people of Southern Sudan are taking part in an historic 
>referendum to decide their future – we pray that the process is carried out 
>fairly and peacefully. We as Elders sincerely hope that this is a big step on 
>the path to lasting peace for a country that has suffered so much over many 
>decades. 
>
>In Zimbabwe, my good friend Mary Robinson witnessed a ground-breaking agreement 
>between leading women of all political parties to work together for democracy 
>and equality – an example their male counterparts could do well to follow.      
>
>Sadly, we have yet to see much progress towards genuine national reconciliation 
>in Sri Lanka. In August we called for a greater response from the international 
>community to the Sri Lankan government’s continuing disdain for human rights.  
>
>Your ideas
>    Many of you wrote to tell us about the work that you are doing to bring 
>positive change to your own communities.My friends, you are truly remarkable 
>people! 
>
>You’ve also shared ideas and feedback, for example Thomas from the United States 
>told us: 
>
>“I would like to see an online community created, where common folks like me can 
>join in a dialogue and obtain occasional feedback from the Elders. 
>
>“Primarily I want to see discussion about what each of us can do - how each of 
>us can promote the causes of this organisation.” 
>
>Well Thomas, we’re on the case. Our team is working on new ways to help us 
>develop a lively and open Elders’ community. Just as we keep asking you to 
>demand more from your leaders, it’s only right that you should continue to ask 
>more from us! 
>
>Wherever you are in the world, I wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful 2011. 
>God bless you,
>Desmond Tutu   
>  
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>
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Hey Randy!  Thanks fo sending this.  I was unawareof The Elders.
Charles
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