Our History

With the generous support of the Canadian government, Halifax International Security Forum was founded in 2009 as part of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. HFX became an independent organization in 2011.

Today it includes private individuals, businesses, and donor organizations as supporters. The HFX network extends from North America, through Europe, Eurasia, South and East Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The founding and current president of Halifax International Security Forum is Peter Van Praagh.

Drawing on this long military heritage, Halifax and the broader Atlantic Canada region have developed a robust aerospace and defense industry. Today, the industry employs 6,000 local workers, generating approximately $600 million in revenues. Halifax also has become a center of shipbuilding in Canada. In 2011, Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard won a $25 billion contract to build combat vessels, including frigates and destroyers to invigorate the country’s shipbuilding industrial base and manufacture a fleet of vessels to protect the country’s vital interest in the melting Arctic.

Both the historic Citadel and today’s vibrant Halifax Shipyard reflect the significant role Halifax has played and continues to play in global security and defense—and why the city provides a fitting backdrop to the annual Halifax International Security Forum.

To learn more about Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the broader Atlantic Canada region, visit Discover Halifax.