Peacebuilder and Changemaker

Hiba Qasas is the Founding Executive Director of the Geneva based Principles for Peace Foundation, a globally-recognized organization advancing the principles of sustainable peace by working with solution-minded leaders from business, security, and politics and providing strategic, high-level support to deliver lasting change.

Originally from the West Bank, Ms. Qasas is known for building diverse coalitions across diplomatic, political, security, and development sectors. Under her leadership, the Principles for Peace global coalition has grown to over 120 partner organizations, helping advance the International Commission on Inclusive Peace and establish new Principles for Peace.

She brings over two decades of conflict prevention experience, including 17 years at the United Nations in leadership roles in crisis affected settings and at headquarters. She served as Country Representative in Iraq, led UN Women’s Middle East and North Africa Section, and worked with the United Nations Development Programme on resilience-building and promoting peace and security in conflict and post conflict countries.

Ms. Qasas also convenes Uniting for a Shared Future (USF), a first-of-its-kind coalition of more than 550 Israeli and Palestinian leaders from across business, finance, security, politics, civil society, and media. Formed in the aftermath of October 7 and the war in Gaza, USF catalyzes a people-driven, internationally-supported push for a political settlement and a credible political horizon.

She is a visiting fellow at the University of Sydney and the European School for Advanced Studies in International Development, and co leads the IDEAL Society initiative supported by Harvard University and the University of Sydney.

Based in Switzerland, she continues to advance global peace.