Peter Van Praagh
President of Halifax
Peter Van Praagh is the Founder and President of Halifax (HFX). Under his leadership, HFX has become globally recognised as the convener of some of the most important security meetings in the world, including the annual Halifax International Security Forum. Mr Van Praagh has over thirty years of experience in international affairs. Prior to founding HFX, he served in Washington DC as Senior Director for Foreign Policy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and as Deputy Vice President of Programmes at the National Endowment for Democracy. Mr Van Praagh lived overseas for nearly a decade as Chief of Party for the National Democratic Institute both in the former Soviet Union and in Türkiye and operated throughout the Muslim world in the post 9/11 environment. In 2006-07, Mr Van Praagh served as Policy Director to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada. Mr Van Praagh is a graduate of the London School of Economics and University College at the University of Toronto.
Updated: April 23, 2025
