FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 8, 2012 Minister Peter MacKay Announces Dates for Halifax International Security Forum: November 16-18 in Halifax WASHINGTON, DC—The fourth Halifax International Security Forum will take place November 16-18, 2012 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The 2012 Halifax International Security Forum will once again bring together informed and engaged security leaders from more than 40 countries to create thought-provoking conversations and inspire meaningful action. Foreign Affairs magazine will again serve as the Media Partner at Halifax. “In three short years, Halifax International Security Forum has gone from a simple idea – showcasing Canadian ideas on the world stage – to establishing itself as the gathering place to discuss global security issues,” said Canadian Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay. “Halifax is now recognized around the world as shorthand for a forum that approaches defense and security challenges in a fresh and engaging way.” “We will be convening in Halifax a week and a half after the US Presidential election,” said Peter Van Praagh, President of the Halifax International Security Forum. “And with the outcome of those elections top of mind in the global community at that time, the world’s most relevant players in international security will weigh in at Halifax.” Notable past participants have included U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta; Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak; French Secretary General for Security and Defense Francis Delon; U.S. Senators John McCain, Mark Udall and Jeanne Shaheen; former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Stéphane Abrial; Founder and Director of the Damascus (Syria) Center for Human Rights Studies Radwan Ziadeh; former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg; among others. Photos, videos and quotes from the 2011 Forum can be seen here: www.halifaxtheforum.org The annual Halifax International Security Forum is made possible by a generous grant from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Department of National Defence of Canada.

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Contact: RJ Bee at 202-688-2463 or rbee@hattaway.com More information about the Halifax International Security Forum can be found on its website: www.halifaxtheforum.org. You can also follow Halifax on Twitter: @HalifaxtheForum