The legacy of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari was honoured in a seminar organised at the United Nations in New York on 3rd April. The latest Martti Ahtisaari Legacy Seminar brought together leading thinkers and practitioners to discuss the future of peacemaking. Former Colombian President, 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Chair of the Elders Juan Manuel Santos and former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin headlined the event.
Organised by CMI in collaboration with the International Crisis Group and the Permanent Missions of Finland and Namibia to the United Nations, the high-level seminar provided an opportunity to discuss the future of multilateral diplomacy and conflict resolution. It took place against a backdrop of rising multipolarity and weakening global norms, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently warning of a “world of impunity”.
Discussions at the seminar centred on how to revitalise the multilateral system and advance the ambitious reforms outlined in the Pact for the Future and the UN’s New Agenda for Peace. The keynote discussion between Santos and Marin was moderated by Dr Comfort Ero, President and CEO of the International Crisis Group and addressed the urgent need to rebuild trust and reinforce the structures of global governance.
Juan Manuel Santos says that Martti Ahtisaari’s legacy as a peacemaker and champion of multilateralism is more relevant than ever in today’s fractured world: “He reminds us that all conflicts can be settled if there is the political will to do so, but that lasting peace will only come when justice and human rights are at the heart of the process. As Chair of The Elders, I am honoured to build on his work, and I urge leaders engaged in conflict negotiations from Ukraine to the Middle East to emulate his principles, his humility and his unyielding commitment to peace.”
Former Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin participates in a keynote discussion.
Sanna Marin says: “‘If we work together, we can find solutions.’ Martti Ahtisaari’s words give us hope in a world where the rules-based international order is being challenged, and we face numerous global crises that demand urgent solutions. May Ahtisaari’s work and legacy inspire us all to be changemakers and to strive together for a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.”
The event also had a panel discussion on how to strengthen diplomacy and international cooperation in a shifting global landscape. The speakers were: Ambassador Dr Martin Kimani, President & CEO at The Africa Center in New York; Rina Amiri, Former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights; Dr Chester A. Crocker, Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Professor Emeritus of Strategic Studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service; and Jeffrey Feltman, Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Senior Fellow, United Nations Foundation.
CMI’s CEO, Ambassador Dr Janne Taalas, says there is an urgent need for an event of this kind, noting that collaboration is essential in today’s world. He says: “The United Nations is even more indispensable in the world of disorder and shrinking diplomatic space. We need reinforce mechanisms that enable diplomacy and dialogue. Sustainable peace depends on our ability to bring diverse actors together and explore shared solutions.”
The seminar series, launched by CMI, has become a platform for shaping the future of conflict resolution and peacemaking. Following successful events in Türkiye, Belgium, and South Africa this year and last, the New York event continued CMI’s mission to drive global dialogue on peace mediation and governance in an era of disorder.
Conversations about peace are urgently needed in a situation where the space for it has narrowed. With the Martti Ahtisaari Legacy Seminars, CMI aims to collect political leaders, practitioners, and representatives of the private sector and civil society, to create discussions about peace and the future of peacemaking. CMI’s founder, President Ahtisaari, believed that all conflicts could be resolved.
The event was recorded and can be watched below (event begins at approximately 18:15).
We were also joined by distinguished guests Elizabeth Spehar, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support; Richard Gowan, UN Director at the International Crisis Group; and Ambassador Elina Kalkku, Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations.