Wisdom of the Elders

We’re always told to listen to our elders. That tradition takes on exalted essence next week as three preeminent world leaders come to Hawaii.

Friends, activists, students, lend me your ears.

Pillars of Peace Hawaii, an initiative of Hawaii Community Foundation, will host The Elders Aug. 29-31. Three distinguished global kupuna will engage in a series of exchanges on peace, compassion and ethical leadership.

The Elders who will be in Honolulu are former prime minister of Norway and former director-general of World Health Organization Gro Harlem Brundtland; renowned lawyer/pro-democracy campaigner and Pakistan women’s movement leader Hina Jilani; and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate, veteran anti-apartheid activist and peace campaigner.

“We are honored to have such an esteemed group of leaders come to Hawaii to share their global experience and perspectives,” says Kelvin H. Taketa, president and CEO of Hawaii Community Foundation. “Their visit enables us, in turn, to share our approach to peace influenced by the spirit of aloha and our community that merges numerous cultural influences.”

The Elders is an independent group of global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007. They use their collective wisdom, experience and influence to support peace building, address major causes of human suffering, and promote the shared interests of humanity.

Pillars of Peace Hawaii is supported by a lead grant from Omidyar Ohana Fund. Pam Omidyar, co-founder with husband Pierre Omidyar of The Omidyar Group, says, “Our main philanthropic goal is to help people have the life they want and to enable them to thrive. Having a peaceful environment is a requirement for that.

“I’m looking forward to The Elders engaging with Hawaii’s own kupuna,” adds Omidyar, a former Iolani student. “We are sharing with them the definition of aloha and the interpretation of ‘ha,’ the breath of life. How do you harm someone when you are sharing the same breath?”

With that intent, we posed three questions to each of The Elders as a preview of their dialogue here.

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3) How you do define peace?

DT: “To me, peace can mean many things, but I think one word can sum it: Ubuntu. This is an African saying that means ‘I am because you are.’ We are bound together. I need you in order to be me.

“We cannot hope to bring peace to the world unless we can empathize with each other, offer one another forgiveness and work together. Despite all of the ghastliness in the world, humans are made for goodness.