CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation continues its series of seminars honouring the legacy of its founder, President Martti Ahtisaari. The Martti Ahtisaari Legacy Seminar in Dar es Salaam on 15 May will feature keynote addresses by the President of the Republic of Finland, Alexander Stubb, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo. The seminar held in Geneva on 22 May will be headlined by the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani Sadriu.
The seminar in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, will discuss Tanzania’s pivotal role in regional peace and security, its strong tradition of mediation, and the enduring legacy of President Martti Ahtisaari in advancing a more peaceful world amidst today’s global instability. The opening address will be delivered by Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania, H.E. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, and the keynote remarks will be delivered by the President of Finland, H.E. Alexander Stubb.
The seminar is organised by CMI in cooperation with Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, the Centre for Foreign Relations Tanzania (CFR), and the Embassy of Finland in Tanzania. The event takes place during the state visit of President Alexander Stubb and his spouse, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, to Tanzania from 14 to 16 May celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between Finland and Tanzania.
The event in Dar es Salaam starts at 9:00 a.m. local time on 15 May and can be watched live using this link.
The seminar in Tanzania will be followed by another Legacy Seminar in Geneva, Switzerland, on 22 May 2025, where the keynote speaker will be the President of Kosovo, H.E. Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu. The seminar is organised in partnership with Interpeace, Geneva Graduate Institute and the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations in Geneva.
The President’s keynote address will be followed by a high-level panel discussion focusing on humanitarian diplomacy and the role of leadership in promoting peace. Panelists will include, among others, Jagan Chapagain, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General of the IFRC, and Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, Assistant Secretary-General of the UN and Executive Director of UNITAR. The panel will draw inspiration from President Ahtisaari’s vision of leadership: courageous, pragmatic, principled, and firmly grounded in multilateral cooperation.
In 2025, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation organises a global series of seminars honouring the legacy of its founder. These events bring together political leaders, peace practitioners, and representatives from the private sector and civil society. The aim is to foster dialogue on peace and the future of peacebuilding, while building bridges and strengthening cooperation and exchange across diverse stakeholders. Previous seminars have taken place in Ankara, Brussels, Pretoria, and New York.