BACKGROUND AND MISSION roundtable discussions where participants leverage their In 2003, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright history of constructive negotiations, policy acumen, founded the Aspen Ministers Forum to strengthen and continued influence to develop new strategies diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Europe. The group that address these difficult global problems. Senior soon evolved to embrace a more global mission and government officials and leading experts are also invited membership. It has established itself as a leading platform to participate in the roundtable discussions based on for nonpartisan dialogue aimed at addressing and each specific topic. These participants are in turn able to developing concrete policy recommendations for many draw on insights from the meeting to enhance their own of the international community’s greatest challenges. work. Recently, the group has added online components to its work by convening via Zoom every other month and launching a series of digital public products. APPROACH The Aspen Ministers Forum is a nonpartisan initiative WHY IS THE ASPEN MINISTERS FORUM UNIQUE? of former Foreign Ministers from around the world that is chaired by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine • The AMF is a preeminent platform with the ability Albright. Once or twice a year, a diverse group of AMF and influence to regularly convene 20-25 former members meets in countries ranging from South Korea Foreign Ministers of diverse nationalities and political and to and the United States to craft perspectives to discuss critical global challenges new approaches to critical global challenges. Each summit elevates a specific topic, which may be a crisis • The AMF frequently hosts and engages with senior that demands urgent attention or a long-term policy government and international officials, allowing challenge that deserves closer examination. Over the them to speak candidly in a private, off-the-record course of several days, AMF members engage in intensive setting, forge new relationships, and apply lessons learned in their roles as world leaders

SELECT PAST AMF IN-PERSON SESSION TOPICS • The AMF emphasizes active interaction among the participants, prioritizing real dialogue and fluid 2019: The 21st Century Battlefield debate over one-way presentations 2019: Reimagining Domestic and International • The AMF tackles emerging crises and new Institutions: From Past Lessons to New Challenges challenges to provide real-time, high-level policy 2018: Africa Rising: Trends, Challenges, and guidance to national governments, international Opportunities organizations, and NGO leaders 2018: Global Rise of Nationalism: Realities vs. • AMF members bring findings from the meetings Perception back home to their countries, and often communicate insights directly to senior world leaders through 2017: A Repositioned Europe and Its Role in the World their professional networks and more broadly via their written work, lectures, and media interviews

www.aspeninstitute.org/amf IMPACT respective communities. These products include high-level The Ministers use meetings as an opportunity to raise the briefings for their national leadership; presentation of their profile of key international issues and present practical and ideas in TV, radio, or journal interviews; personal op-ed innovative solutions to timely problems. Following AMF pieces; research papers; and lectures. Recently, the AMF meetings, members publish public letters and opinion has expanded our digital products to include an animated editorials in major news media outlets around the world video series on leadership, one-on-one fireside chats, and both individually and collectively. Often, the Ministers’ joint virtual convenings of the group. signatures make articles and letters more powerful and result in the pieces being more widely read and discussed across the world. These pieces have been included in a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Al-Ahram Weekly, Le Monde, Spiegel Online, Iran Radio, and The Financial Times, among others. In addition, the Ministers often correspond privately with heads of state and other high-level officials. AMF meetings have also produced private letters and in-person conversations with the UN Secretary-General António Guterres. During the meeting with the Secretary-General, several AMF members presented insights and policy recommendations from recent forums. The Ministers are required to take the ideas that come out of these convenings back to their

SELECT ASPEN MINISTERS FORUM MEMBERS • Madeleine Albright – United States • Tzipi Livni – Israel • Lloyd Axworthy – Canada • Susana Malcorra – Argentina • Ali Babacan – Turkey • Don McKinnon – New Zealand • Mohamed Benaïssa – Morocco • David Miliband – United Kingdom • María Eugenia Brizuela de Ávila – El Salvador • Daniel Mitov – Bulgaria • Erik Derycke – • Federica Mogherini – • Lamberto Dini – Italy • Amre M. Moussa – Egypt • Alexander Downer – Australia • Marwan Muasher – Jordan • Jan Eliasson – Sweden • Ana Palacio – • Joschka Fischer – • George A. Papandreou – • Fu Ying – China • Lydie Polfer – Luxembourg • Jaime Gama – • Malcolm Rifkind – United Kingdom • Ibrahim Gambari – Nigeria • Claudia Ruiz Massieu – Mexico • Mircea Dan Geoană – Romania • Jozias van Aartsen – The Netherlands • Igor S. Ivanov – Russia • Hubert Védrine – • Marina Kaljurand – • Knut Vollebæk – Norway • Kang Kyung-wha – South Korea • Margot Wallström – Sweden

“The Aspen Ministers Forum brings together the world’s most experienced diplomats to explore the key international challenges of our time, ranging from the global refugee crisis to the fraying of the international liberal order. By providing a platform for former Foreign Ministers to candidly debate the issues without reference to their national position, the Forum helps them test new ideas, develop innovative solutions, and ultimately continue their efforts to promote international peace and understanding. The AMF is a unique institution that is more relevant and necessary than ever.” — Madeleine Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State and Aspen Ministers Forum Founder