High-Level Meeting Precedes Paris Peace Forum
His Highness the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris on October 28, 2025. The meeting took place just one day before the commencement of the 8th edition of the Paris Peace Forum, scheduled for October 29-30, 2025. This high-level discussion underscored the enduring relationship between the Ismaili Imamat and France, and the shared commitment to addressing global challenges.
AKDN Commits €10 Million to New Endowment Fund
During the event, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) announced a significant pledge of €10 million to the newly established Endowment Fund of the Paris Peace Forum. This substantial contribution marks the first pledge to the fund, which aims to create a robust financial reserve. The interest generated from this fund is intended to provide reliable, year-on-year funding, supplementing existing donations and ensuring the Forum's long-term sustainability.
The Endowment Fund's overarching goal is to 'establish a permanent engine to reinvent diplomacy in a changing world,' inviting other partners and philanthropic actors to contribute.
A Partnership for Global Governance
The AKDN has been a founding member and a strategic partner of the Paris Peace Forum since its inception in 2018. This long-standing collaboration highlights AKDN's dedication to fostering international cooperation and addressing pressing global issues. The 2025 Forum is operating under the theme 'New Coalitions for Peace, People, and the Planet,' focusing on the urgent need for collective action in an era of heightened global rivalries and instability.
His Highness the Aga Khan emphasized the importance of institutions capable of 'sustain long-term, courageous work across borders and sectors.' He stated, 'The Paris Peace Forum has shown it can convene diverse actors and catalyze solutions to some of the world's most pressing problems. With this pledge, the Aga Khan Development Network is proud to support the Forum's enduring capacity to innovate for peace and equity.'
Justin Vaïsse, Founder and Director General of the Paris Peace Forum, expressed profound gratitude for AKDN's commitment, calling it 'a vote of confidence in the Forum's mission and a crucial step in securing our independence, stability and impact for the decades ahead.'
5 Comments
Stan Marsh
This collaboration between AKDN and the Paris Peace Forum is a positive step for dialogue, but the article doesn't detail how these 'new coalitions' will directly translate into effective policy changes across diverse nations. Implementation is key.
Eric Cartman
Why are private foundations funding global governance? This lacks public accountability.
Stan Marsh
The long-term vision for reinventing diplomacy is admirable, but the immediate crises facing people and the planet demand more than just endowment funds. Urgent, direct interventions are also crucial.
Kyle Broflovski
Another €10 million for a 'peace forum'? How much real change does this actually accomplish?
Stan Marsh
The Paris Peace Forum needs this support. It's a key platform for international cooperation.