He won a Nobel Prize in 2008 for his contributions in various conflict resolutions around the world, including Kosovo, Namimbia, Indonesia, and Iraq.
Martti Ahtisaari, the former President of Finland, renowned global peace mediator, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2008 for his efforts in resolving international conflicts, passed away at the age of 86. The foundation he established to prevent and address violent conflicts expressed profound sadness at the loss of its founder and former board chair. The so-called Ahtisaari plan was one of his biggest contributions in bringing relative peace and stability in the troubled Balkan region. In essence, the current status of Kosovo (monitored independence) had been initially his idea even though Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, the same year he was awarden the Nobel Peace Prize.
Finland’s President, Sauli Niinistö, paid tribute to Ahtisaari, describing him as a leader who guided Finland into the global EU era during times of change. Ahtisaari had been diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer’s disease in 2021, and President Niinistö announced his death after a lengthy illness in a televised speech. The news was significant enough to interrupt regular programming on Finnish public broadcaster YLE.
