Martti Ahtisaari

Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari (Finnish pronunciation: [martːi oiva kalevi ahtisaːri] and shortly pronounced [martːi ahtisaːri]; born 23 June 1937) is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland (1994–2000), Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work.

Ahtisaari was a United Nations Special Envoy for Kosovo, charged with organizing Kosovo status process negotiations, aimed at resolving a long-running dispute in Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. In October 2008, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for his efforts on several continents and over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts". The Nobel statement said that Ahtisaari has played a prominent role in resolving many conflicts in Namibia; Aceh, Indonesia; Kosovo and Iraq, among other areas.

Youth and early career

Martti Ahtisaari was born in Viipuri, Finland (now Vyborg, Russia). His father, Oiva Ahtisaari (whose grandfather Julius Marenius Adolfsen had emigrated with his parents to Finland in 1872 from Tistedalen in Southern Norway) took Finnish citizenship in 1929 and changed his surname from Adolfsen in 1937. The Continuation War (World War II) took Martti's father to the front as an NCO army mechanic, while his mother, Tyyne, moved to Kuopio with her son to escape immediate danger from the war. Kuopio was where Ahtisaari spent most of his childhood, eventually attending the Kuopion Lyseo high school.

Podcasts:

Famous quotes by Martti Ahtisaari:

"where war becomes unthinkable."
"This city, which has taken its place in the history of our century, is now being called upon to help launch a new millennium,"
"We have now come to the point when the clarity has to be sought from Yugoslavia,"
"It's an excellent choice ... for an organization that does extremely good work."
"My prime aim is to go to see the permanent member who has not been briefed properly. I think I owe it to the Chinese that I explain what has happened in these talks that I have attended, ... This Week."
"I think we have been able to clarify issues, ... I do not want to say it does not mean that in all details we agree 100 percent."
"very satisfied with the talks."
"There is a lot of hard work that needs to be done"
"This is the beginning of a new era."
"It's a leap of faith. The agreement is under 10 pages long and we could have signed 100 pages, but what counts is not words but deeds."
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Latest News for: Martti Ahtisaari

Julie Bishop and peace as business in Myanmar

Asiatimes 20 Mar 2025
Latest stories. Danantara ... Sign up ... One of the other secretive outfits involved in behind-the-scenes maneuverings in Myanmar, Finland’s CMI (the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation), had until recently “Make Peace Your Business” as its website’s slogan.
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