Improving Cooperation. Promoting Freedom from Fear.

THE FOURTH FREEDOM - OUR PRIMARY MISSION

Our mission is to help free humanity from the fear of terrorism and war. We encourage discussion, development, and dissemination of practical, policy-relevant ideas. We think globally, promoting security that is inclusive, civilian-led, and consistent with the rule of law, including human rights.

PHOTO: Piotr Wytrążek

From threat to threshold. A former Soviet nuclear weapons base has been transformed into a public foot path in Borne Sulinowo, Poland.

The Latest From the Forum

Defunding the War Against Ukraine: Economic Strategies for Countering Russian Aggression

Our Publications

We have an extensive collection of research on topics relating to sanctions and incentives, reducing nuclear dangers, and countering terrorism and violent extremism. Please explore our wide range of articles, books, reports, and interviews.

Our Work

Since the Forum was founded forty years ago, we have earned the trust of governments, international organizations, and experts around the world for our policy-relevant research and advice as well as our innovative work to encourage regional cooperation around common security goals.

Our most recent work includes working with over 20 countries to develop their national action plans to counter violent extremism; developing a framework for assessing UN sanctions on nonproliferation and counterterrorism; and bringing medical professionals and other experts together to develop a toolkit for assisting countries’ efforts to provide care to rehabilitate and reintegrate families of violent extremists returning from Syria and Iraq.

The Focus of Our Work

Sanctions, Incentives, and Diplomacy

The use of tools of statecraft to strengthen international norms without resort to war is at the heart of the Forum’s mission. Our research and policy-prescriptive recommendations have yielded groundbreaking results.

Preventing Violent Extremism

After the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, as the international community turned its attention to countering al-Qaida, the Forum contributed its expertise to advancing global counterterrorism cooperation.

Reducing Nuclear Dangers

The Forum has brought together U.S. military leadership and nuclear policy experts to discuss alternative solutions to nuclear armaments. We remain deeply concerned about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and efforts that are underway to fund and develop newer types of nuclear weapons by the United States, China, Russia, and other nuclear weapons states.

About the Forum

In 1982, Howard S. Brembeck founded the Forum to advance the ideal that we can preserve and defend our national security more effectively by working together through commerce and diplomacy to uphold international laws, rather than depending on weapons of mass destruction.

Our founder had his roots in the Indiana business community and in 1982 started the foundation located in Goshen, Indiana.