World leaders must reject the path of chaos

Dear friends,

I am deeply honoured to be writing to you in my new role as Chair of The Elders. Assuming this position is an incredible privilege and I am truly grateful to follow in the footsteps of Archbishop Tutu, Kofi Annan and Mary Robinson.

As I assume this new role, the return of Donald Trump to the White House in January 2025 will have worldwide repercussions, not all of which we can yet predict. As the President of Colombia during President Trump's first term, I have worked closely with him and I am certain that The Elders will work with his administration to uphold our core values of promoting peace, justice, human rights, and a sustainable planet, inspired by the mandate Nelson Mandela gave us at our founding in 2007.

I am particularly grateful to my predecessor as Chair, Mary Robinson, for her continued support. Mary was a founding member of our group and for the past six years has guided us with unwavering leadership and an enduring commitment to our mission. She has played a pivotal role in our organisation’s history and will be an active member of The Elders in the months and years ahead.

It is also a pleasure to be supported by Ban Ki-moon and Gra?a Machel, who will continue to serve as Deputy Chairs. With their partnership, and that of our fellow Elders, I am confident that we can drive meaningful change in today’s troubled world.

Last month, the Elders gathered for our bi-annual board meeting in London. Our discussions focused a lot on the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. As we voiced in our statement, we are revolted by the scale of the killings, not only in Gaza and Lebanon, but also in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that stems from a growing disregard for international rule of law.

Our message to world leaders is clear: reject this path of chaos and act for the common good.

From my experience in negotiating peace in Colombia, I learnt that true peace demands a persistent commitment to dialogue and compromise. This same dedication is essential in addressing other global challenges, such as climate change, where collaboration and upholding the rule of law are vital for a sustainable and secure future.

As Elders, we are continuing to take proactive steps to translate this dedication into action. In London, we met the new UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to discuss pressing issues such as the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, de-escalation with Iran, arms sales to Israel, and climate finance ahead of COP29. My fellow Elders Ban Ki-moon, Helen Clark and Denis Mukwege also participated in a fruitful discussion with global health experts at Chatham House about the world’s preparedness for the next pandemic.

As we continue to confront these existential threats, I want to end with a message of hope. One of the most important lessons I learnt from Mandela is the vital role that hope plays in our lives. He believed that hope is humanity's most precious commodity and our strongest weapon, even when all seems lost. In today's world, with its many challenges, we need hope more than ever to drive bold, progressive changes toward a better, safer, and more just future.

With thanks for your ongoing support,

Juan Manuel Santos