Martti Ahtisaari, a diplomat and mediator renowned for his international peace work, was awarded the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize “for his important efforts, on several continents and over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts". Mr. Ahtisaari became the first directly elected President of the Republic of Finland in 1994 and held office until 2000. Foreign governments and the United Nations have called upon him throughout his career in some of the world’s most difficult conflicts. Most recently he has served as the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy on Kosovo.

Mr. Ahtisaari has also facilitated the peace process between the government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement, chaired the independent panel on security and safety of UN personnel in Iraq, served as UN special envoy for the Horn of Africa, and inspected the Irish Republican Army’s arms dumps (alongside Cyril Ramaphosa).

In 1977, he was appointed UN Commissioner for Namibia and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Namibia the following year, ultimately helping to supervise Namibia’s first elections. Mr. Ahtisaari holds honorary citizenship of Namibia in recognition of this work.

Upon leaving the Presidency of Finland, Mr. Ahtisaari founded the Crisis Management Initiative, where he serves as chairman of the board. He also served as co-chairman of the New York-based EastWest Institute during 2005. He is a member of the joint advisors’ group for the Open Society Institute and the Soros Foundations, and serves as chairman of both the Balkan Children and Youth Foundation and the Global Action Council of the International Youth Foundation.

In 2004, Martti Ahtisaari was awarded the Order of the Companions of Oliver Tambo (Supreme Companion) by South Africa.