Cyprus
Elders' Blogs
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Never in my career have I felt that a situation is hopeless or that change is impossible – despite what other people may have told me. More »
While in Cyprus Desmond Tutu was interviewed by Christiana Voniati for Cyprus' POLITIS newspaper. She asked him about his reasons for visiting Cyprus, the importance of dealing with the past when resolving conflicts, and what, if any, place there was for a truth and reconciliation process on the island. The article was published in December 2009 More »
While I was in Cyprus many people asked me “Why have the Elders come here three times?” “Why do you think we can achieve peace now when we haven't done before?"
My answer is this: I think the situation now is very different from what I have known in the past, and represents possibly the best opportunity we have seen for a solution. More »
How sorry I was that I could not visit Cyprus with my fellow Elders, Gro Brundtland and Lakhdar Brahimi, in September. I suffered a back injury that kept me bedridden in South Africa; if only I were as young in body as I feel in spirit! My family are always telling me to slow down, but somehow I never quite manage it.
So it is a joy to be coming back to Cyprus, a place that really made an impression on me when I visited a year ago, just as your two leaders were beginning negotiations to reunite this beautiful island. More »
One thing is clear - peace processes and governance should not be left only to men.
UN Security Council Resolution 1325 urges states to ensure increased representation of women in conflict resolution and peace processes. It is a resolution that my fellow Elders and I wholeheartedly support. More »
