The Elders Share A Vision of Change: Social Sustainability

I had the opportunity to read of "The Elders" bi-annual gathering that occurred in Tunisia.  The recap was by Elder Ela Bhatt.  Some of the statements that were made resonated so deeply I wished to pass them along.

Ela Bhatt shared a vision.  A vision of change.  A vision that each voice can make truth in their own communities.  She shared the "poverty is violence that is happening with society's consent."  That the young people, voices often not heard, "insisted that this growth" in society to shift the poverty, "must be sustainable - not only in terms of environmental impact of development, but also its social impact."  Can you see the picture?  A picture where sustainability was not exclusive but rather inclusive.  How to make this a reality?

"Leaders must listen to their people - I believe that amplifying the voices of those who are not often heard" must be one of the most important shifts to occur.  "We need to bridge this gap between the haves and the have-nots.  We must recognise that our actions directly impact others, and take personal responsibility for the inequality we see."

"In the spirit of Ubuntu – the philosophy of interconnectedness we will continue to strive to make this vision a reality." ( Ela Bhatt)

I had a discussion recently in a small group of soul friends where the idea of interconnectedness was examined.  The idea of labeling persons or even Nations.  The idea that every voice heard was based upon individual experience; yet, when the voices became one, the language of collective consciousness emerged.  The idea that within a collective consciousness there was no one excluded - all voices, all experiences, and all beliefs were equal in value.  It was an idea of the same vision of change.

So many speaking and sharing the same message in different languages, different translations.  Bridges are emerging to cross the many gaps that exist.  But this is not a job for "The Elders" alone.  This is not the responsibility of others.  It is your responsibility.  It is my responsibility.  It is our interconnectedness with All that will be the blue prints for the bridges.  We can not sit back and read the blue prints least the bridge is never built.  It is time for many to rise up and do the work of building the bridges.  It begins in your own homes, your own families, your own communities.  It is there that it begins.

In this conversation that I was honored to be apart of, it was also discussed how we see the bridges as a massive structures spanning the oceans; yet, if one can not cross the river in their own backyard to get to the ocean to build the massive bridge - work will never begin.  We will meet again to discuss the same things over and over again.  It is not glorifying for the ego to get down in the dirt and begin building a bridge in our own backyards - yet it is vital.

When we reflect upon our actions, our words, and, yes, even our thoughts, we must be cognizant of the bridge we are building.  Is it strong?  Will it stand up to the test of time?  Is it built upon the peaceful intention of all humanity?   Is it sustainable for both Mother Earth and society?

"The Elders" are independent global leaders working together for peace and human rights that were brought together by Nelson Mandela to offer their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity.  They hold no public office; they are independent of any government.  They are the peace makers, the peace builders, and social revolutionaries who together work in pioneering changes by leading examples in our world.   They do not represent a single spiritual journey but rather are independent voices bound only by shared interests of humanity.  They vow to listen to every voice and then to act boldly as examples to show that every individual can make a difference and create a positive change in society.