Halifax International Security Forum
Halifax International Security Forum (also Halifax Forum or HFX) is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.[3][4] It is a forum and network[5] for international government and military officials, academic experts, authors and entrepreneurs.[6] Halifax Forum addresses global security issues.[7] The forum is best known for its annual security summit at The Westin Nova Scotian in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The meeting brings together more than 300 delegates[8] from over 70 countries[9] and has been referred to by Canadian media as "The Davos of international security".[10][11] This summit is the only event of its kind in North America.[12] The 14th Halifax Forum was held from 19 to 21 November 2022.[13]
Founded
November 18, 2011
Worldwide
Forum and network for decision-makers
Peter Van Praagh, President[1]
Dr. Janice Stein, Board Chair[2]
Mark William Lippert, Vice Chair of the Board
Ahmet Taçyıldız, Treasurer of the Board
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Board Member
Joshua J. Omojuwa, Board Member
Dr. Luis Rubio, Board Member
History[edit]
The Halifax International Security Forum was founded in 2009 as a program within the German Marshall Fund of the United States,[14] with financial support from the Canadian government.[15][16] Its annual meeting is held in Halifax in mid-November, usually the weekend before US Thanksgiving.[15] In 2011 the forum became an independent organization and was joined by Foreign Affairs as media partner.[17]
The forum founders list: Laura Bridge, Tom Clark, Dan Dugas, Dean Fealk, Marian Fernet, Renée Filiatrault, Joseph Hall, David Kramer, John MacDonell, George Macphee, Steve Markle, Duane Monea, Jeff Mullen, Paul Owens, Jay Paxton, Jonathan Tepperman, Jill Sinclair, Janice Gross Stein, Jonathan Weisstub.[18]
Organization[edit]
Halifax Forum is an independent, nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. The nonpartisan forum has an American-Canadian board of directors as its highest governance body. The President of the forum is Peter Van Praagh.[19] HISF cooperates with institutional partners. The forum's founding partners are the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).[14][20] In 2011, after the forum's independence, the Canadian government continued its funding,[21][22][23][24] and Foreign Affairs joined the forum as media partner.[17] In August 2012, HISF launched the Halifax Canada Club (HCC), a public–private partnership created in cooperation with the Canadian government and Calgary-based MEG Energy.[25] HCC serves as a permanent body to engage the private sector in support of the forum.
Annual forum[edit]
Key themes[edit]
2023 forum
The 2023 Halifax International Security Forum was held from 17 to 19 of November 2023.
There were high-profile guests such as Canadian National Defence Minister Bill Blair and former Israel prime minister Ehud Barak. The war in Ukraine and climate change were the main topics.[26] The acronym CRINK (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea), coined by forum president Peter Van Praag, appeared in the titles of several discussions,[27][28] including such as 'Never Mind the BRICS, Here’s the CRINKs'.[29]
2022 forum
The 2022 Halifax International Security Forum was held from 18 to 20 of November 2022. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with the topic 'Why Ukraine Matters'.[30]