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

[Isobel and Jim Bishop]

Hello Randy,
I echo the note from Charles and Doris.  Thank you so much for  
sending this to us all.
In peace,
Isobel Bishop.
On 14/01/2011, at 6:01 AM, Charles or Doris Hahn wrote:

>
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
> Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser. Want to  
> share it? Forward to a friend.
>
> THE ELDERS | ABOUT THE ELDERS | MEDIA | CONNECT
> 	
>  Follow The Elders on Twitter
> 	
>  Join us on Facebook
> You're receiving this newsletter because you signed up at  
> www.theelders.org
> Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe Instantly.
>
> The Elders Foundation, PO BOX 60837, London W6 6GS
> Company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales, Reg.  
> No. 6317151.
> Registered charity in England and Wales, Reg. No. 1132397.
>
>
> Hey Randy!  Thanks fo sending this.  I was unawareof The Elders.
>
> Charles
>
> _______________________________________________
> OE mailing list
> OE at wedgeblade.net
> http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/oe_wedgeblade.net

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://wedgeblade.net/pipermail/oe_wedgeblade.net/attachments/20110114/7a075d0f/attachment-0001.html>