Mission
Building a movement of elders to address the social, environmental, and governance crises of our time.
Motivation
“We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise.” – The Earth Charter
Within our American society, elders’ talents and experiences are generally untapped; their collective wisdom gained over decades of living largely lies fallow. This is an unfortunate waste of invaluable human resources that could be applied to addressing the serious societal and environmental problems of our nation.
We see significant shortcomings in our institutions, both governmental and economic. The very systems we depend upon to address our social justice and environmental problems are in grave need of revitalization.
We are motivated to initiate a cultural shift wherein we elders reclaim our place in providing education, wisdom, and guidance within our communities. We become catalysts of a social movement of elders collaborating with all generations to evolve transitions for our common betterment.
In so doing, we find a new and rewarding sense of meaning in our lives, and we create a new elder culture in the process.
Charter
As Elders, we embrace the universal narrative that includes all living beings, interconnected, interrelated, and interdependent within the unity of One. We respect and care for this community of life by advocating for ecological integrity, social and economic justice, and peaceful coexistence.
As Elders, we recognize the escalating planetary crisis threatening our ecological and cultural wellbeing as an inevitable consequence of humanity’s lost reverence for life, and we view this crisis as an urgent opportunity to re-imagine the future. By merging the legacy of our indigenous ancestors with insights from all wisdom traditions and the discoveries of modern science, we revive our sense of kinship with life and Earth, and are inspired toward compassionate and life affirming action.
As Elders, we know that we are part of the problem, and we now choose to be part of the solution. Knowing that we must be the change we wish to see in the world, we offer ourselves with humility and passion, in wholehearted service, by defining, developing and delivering our unique gifts. We also vow to support and to be in concert with all others who pledge their lives to actualizing the dream of a healthy future.
As Elders, we call upon men and women of all ages to embody the universal values of respect, compassion, caring, equality, integrity, justice, non-violence, and reverence for life. May we co-create an emerging culture of connection with these values, translating them through the way we live into a sustainable world for the generations to come.