Mary Robinson

Chair of The Elders and former president of Ireland
The Elders @theelders_org
The first woman elected president of Ireland, Mary Robinson is a passionate advocate for gender equality, feminist leadership, human dignity and climate justice.

Why you should listen

Mary Robinson served as president of Ireland from 1990 to 1997 and as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002. She was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2009 and served as the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region of Africa.

Since 2018, Robinson has been Chair of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice and human rights. Founded in 2007 by Nelson Mandela, The Elders work both publicly and through private diplomacy to resolve conflict, challenge injustice and promote ethical leadership. Robinson believes that intergenerational dialogue is vital to meet today’s global challenges.

Mary Robinson’s TED talks