HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/22/09 -- As the three-day Halifax International Security Forum today wrapped up its final sessions, the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, declared the inaugural event a success and invited the organisers to return to Halifax in future years. Some 300 international and industry leaders, academics, policy makers, and journalists participated in the first such event to be hosted in North America by the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

"The Halifax International Security Forum's inaugural meeting in North America was a great success," declared Minister MacKay. "Canada's offer to host this inaugural event was based on the German Marshall Fund's proven record of gathering the world's top thinkers on defence and security issues for frank and deep discussion. Our expectations were exceeded in every way-this was a world-class event."

"The Forum offered excellent opportunities for forward-looking discussions on an array of global security issues and for building closer relationships between our international partners," said Minister MacKay. "It also provided international leaders with a view of defence security issues from a Canadian perspective, and a greater international awareness of our Atlantic region."

Discussions focused on a set of core issues, including international law in the 21st century, maritime security challenges, NATO, Afghanistan, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and Arctic security.

The German Marshall Fund is a non-partisan public policy and grant-making institution dedicated to promoting greater cooperation between North America and Europe. This was the first conference ever organized by the GMF in North America.